Vaccine in Wales to start being rolled out to Groups 5 and 6

In today’s Welsh Government briefing, the Wales Health Minister, Vaughan Gething confirmed that Wales has hit its first vaccination milestone and that they will keep checking to make sure nobody is left behind.

He said that “take-up has been “incredibly high” and that they are now starting the “next big effort” to vaccinate people in priority groups five to nine at the same time as they are providing second doses to those in the first four groups.”

Appointments will be offered to people in groups five and six to begin with which will include:

• People aged 65-69

• People aged 16 to 64 with an underlying health condition

• Younger adults in residential care settings

• Unpaid carers

The Minister said that the Welsh Government will have to factor in a temporary slowdown of vaccine supply across the UK to Wales’ plans over the next couple of weeks and this will not delay anyone’s second dose appointment.

The Welsh Government’s Cabinet will this week meet to hold the three-week review of coronavirus restrictions and that they will be using whatever “headroom” they can to get the youngest children back into school after the half term break.