Welsh health boards begin rollout of spring Covid-19 booster

Welsh health boards have begun delivering their Covid-19 Spring Booster vaccination programmes.

Earlier this year, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended the spring booster for adults aged 75 years and over, residents in a care home for older adults, and individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed.

The JCVI considered available data from the UK and internationally, which continues to indicate that older people are at the highest risk of experiencing severe disease if infected by the virus.

The Committee also recommended that the spring dose should be offered around six months after the last vaccine dose, although some flexibility around the timing is possible.

The latest COVID-19 XBB-variant vaccines, which most closely match currently circulating variants, are considered preferable for use in the campaign.

These are the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA XBB.1.5 vaccines.

Defense

Vaccinations remain the best line of defence against serious illness from COVID-19.

Protection reduces over time, so it’s important to stay up to date with your vaccinations if you are eligible.

Anyone turning 75 years of age between April and June will be called for vaccination during the campaign.

Dr Ardiana Gjini, Executive Director of Public Health for Hywel Dda UHB, said: “Thanks to an effective vaccination programme combined with naturally derived immunity in the population, COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for the vast majority of people.

“This ongoing increase in population immunity allows a more targeted programme aimed at those at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 disease.

“Throughout the pandemic, older people have been among those most likely to experience severe disease if infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with the highest risk being in those aged 85 years and over.

“Over the next three months, our programme will ensure the most vulnerable members of our community are offered a booster vaccine.

“I’d like to thank colleagues in primary care for supporting this important vaccination programme and all within the health board who continue to work to ensure this vaccine is accessible to our most vulnerable population.”