People most vulnerable to Covid-19 and frontline health and social care workers will be offered a coronavirus booster vaccine from September, health minister Eluned Morgan has confirmed.

Interim advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has published guidance on the third phase of the UK's vaccination programme.

NHS Wales has said it plans for a gap of six months between the second and booster vaccines.

The autumn booster vaccination programme will be done in two stages

From September stage one will see the following offered a booster vaccine:

  • Adults aged 16 years and over who are immunosuppressed;
  • People living in residential care homes;
  • All adults aged 70 years or over;
  • Adults aged 16 years and over who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable;
  • Frontline health and social care workers.

Stage two will see the following persons offered a third dose Covid-19 booster vaccine as soon as practicable after Stage 1, with equal emphasis on deployment of the influenza vaccine where eligible:

  • All adults aged 50 years and over;
  • Adults aged 16 – 49 years who are in an influenza or Covid-19 at-risk group;
  • Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.

As most younger adults will only receive their second Covid-19 vaccine dose in late summer, the benefits of booster vaccination in this group will be considered at a later time, by the JCVI, when more information is available.

Ms Morgan said: “It should be noted that this is interim advice and the JCVI will consider additional scientific data as it becomes available over the next few months ahead of developing their final advice.

"In line with the other nations of the UK, the Welsh Government welcomes the JCVI advice on phase three. It very much aligns with our thinking and our planning assumptions to date. NHS Wales has been planning on the assumption of a September/October booster for cohorts 1-9, with around a six month gap following a second dose and health boards have submitted their initial plans on this basis. We will be working with health boards to ensure they are ready to deliver a booster programme from the start of September in line with this advice.

"The vaccine continues to be the best way to prevent serious illness and the spread of Covid-19 and every eligible adult is urged to take-up both doses when asked. ”