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Young people in Wales who are set to turn 18 are now being invited to have their coronavirus vaccine.
Following new advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), young people aged from 17 years and nine months will now be invited for a vaccine appointment and be able to attend walk-in vaccination clinics.
Many people within this age group will be preparing to head to university in September.
Previously, vaccines were only being offered to adults aged 18 and older, as well as 16 and 17-year-olds with underlying health conditions.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Vaccines, Gill Richardson, said it was “the first step” towards vaccinating children and young people.
She said: “We will move quickly to vaccinate those aged 12-17 who fall into the categories outlined by the recent JCVI guidance on vaccinating children.”
Wales’ Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, said: “We welcome the advice from the JCVI and agree with the approach. Our task now is to roll out this next stage of the vaccination programme out as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“Wales has a world-leading vaccination programme and I’m grateful to everyone involved in it for the part they have played in making it such a success.
“I want to encourage everyone to take up their offer of a vaccine to help protect themselves and their loved ones.”
Meanwhile, updated JCVI guidance published earlier this month recommended young people aged between 12 and 15-years-old with underlying health conditions should be offered a coronavirus vaccine.
Who has been vaccinated so far?
The percentage of people in Wales who have received their first and second vaccine is broken down below:
Care home residents: 98.1% first dose; 95.1% second dose
Care home workers: 93.3% first dose; 89.3% second dose
Healthcare workers: 96.4% first dose; 93.6% second dose
Social care workers: 45,677 first dose; 44,815 second dose
Aged 80 and above: 96.1% first dose; 94.6% second dose
Aged 75-79: 96.9% first dose; 95.8% second dose
Aged 70-74: 96.2% first dose; 95.3% second dose
Clinically extremely vulnerable people aged 16-69 : 94.7% first dose; 92.3% second dose
Aged 65-69: 95% first dose; 93.6% second dose
Clinical risk groups aged 16 to 64: 89.6% first dose; 84.7% second dose
Aged 60-64: 93.3% first dose; 91.5% second dose
Aged 55-59: 91.5% first dose; 89.2% second dose
Aged 50-54: 89.5% first dose; 86.5% second dose
Aged 40-49: 84.2% first dose; 77.5% second dose
Aged 30-39: 76.1% first dose; 63% second dose
Aged 18-29: 74.6% first dose; 47.8% second dose
Source: Public Health Wales
Anyone who is still waiting for a vaccine appointment can book one online at gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination-if-you-think-you-have-been-missed
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