All adults in Wales to be offered vaccine by July 31

All adults in Wales will have been offered a coronavirus vaccine by July 31, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has promised.

An update to Welsh Government’s vaccination strategy is set to be published on Friday (February 26).

Mr Gething has also confirmed workplace coronavirus testing would be expanded, with workplaces with more than 50 employees eligible for regular testing using Lateral Flow Devices, which can deliver a result in around 20-30 minutes.

The Health Minister said: “Our vaccine and testing programmes are key to safely re-opening up our society and economy.

“Our vaccine programme continues at pace and on Friday I’m publishing a revised vaccine strategy with detail on how we will, subject to supply, offer every eligible adult in Wales the first dose of the vaccine by the end of July.”

As of Tuesday (February 23), Around 870,000 people had received a first coronavirus vaccine dose.

Mr Gething said the updated vaccine strategy would “provide more details on current and forthcoming priorities, including – subject to vaccine supply – the bringing forward of target dates for key milestones”.

He also announced community testing programmes would begin in parts of Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend to help find symptomless virus cases.

Who has been vaccinated so far?

As of Tuesday, February 23, 869,653 people had received their first dose, according to figures published by Public Health Wales, with 49,729 people already having received their second dose.

So far, 90.7% of people aged 80 and above have received a first vaccine dose, while 92.7% of people aged 75 to 79 have been given their first dose.

Of those aged 70 to 74, 92.1% have had their first dose.

Meanwhile, 85.9% of care home workers, 84.9% of care home residents and 84.7% of people aged between 16 and 69, who are classed as extremely clinically vulnerable, have had their first vaccine.

More than 123,000 healthcare workers have also had a first dose.