Eligibility changes announced for future covid booster jabs

Coronavirus vaccines will only be offered to those at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill with the virus.

New guidance released by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee which advises United Kingdom health departments about immunisation, has today published a statement with its latest advice on the 2023 programme.

The committee has advised that for a smaller group of persons (such as persons of older age and those who are immunosuppressed) an extra booster vaccine dose may be offered in spring 2023.

For autumn 2023 only those at higher risk of severe COVID-19 would be offered a booster vaccine dose.

In addition, the JCVI is also recommending some changes to the universal offer programme:

• The current nobody left behind offer of the 2021 booster (third dose) of COVID-19 vaccination for persons aged 16 to 49 years who are not in a clinical risk group should close in alignment with the end of the autumn 2022 vaccination campaign.
• The current nobody left behind offer of a primary course of COVID-19 vaccination should move, over the course of 2023, towards a more targeted offer during vaccination campaigns to protect those persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

This advice means that from 2023 COVID-19 vaccinations will only be offered to specific people at certain times (during specific campaigns) unless prescribed by a clinician.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS has confirmed that the Welsh Government have accepted the JCVI’s advice and that details of the end of both these stages of the vaccine rollout will be announced soon.

Ms Morgan said: “Whilst there is high level of strong population immunity developed over the past two and a half years, the risk of severe COVID-19 continues to be disproportionately greater in those from older age groups, residents in care homes for older adults, and persons with certain underlying health conditions.

“There also still remains on-going uncertainty regarding virus evolution, the durability and breadth of immunity, and the epidemiology of infection

“The JCVI has indicated that emergency surge vaccine responses may also be required should a novel variant of concern emerge with clinically significant biological differences compared to the Omicron variant.

“Alongside my UK counterparts, I have accepted this advice, and subject to supply, NHS Wales stands ready to start operationalising this programme in 2023.

“As ever, I am extremely grateful to the NHS and everyone involved in the vaccination programme for their continued hard work.”