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Wales’ coronavirus booster vaccine campaign is now underway.

Frontline NHS staff in north Wales became the first people in Wales to get their booster vaccine on Thursday, September 16.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which includes Caerphilly County Borough, is set to begin its booster campaign from Monday, September 20.

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended the rollout of booster vaccines on Tuesday, September 14.

Among those who will be eligible for a booster vaccine will be everyone who was in priority groups 1-9 for the first vaccine rollout earlier this year.

This includes all adults aged 50 and older, frontline health and social care workers and those aged 16-49 with underlying health conditions.

It also includes people living in care homes for older adults, adult carers and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.

Wales’ Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, said: “I would urge all those who are eligible for a booster take up the offer when they are called for an appointment, as there is the possibility of reduced immunity from their earlier doses of the vaccine as time passes.

“If you haven’t had the first dose of the vaccine yet, it’s not too late. I encourage anyone who has not yet taken up their offer to do so.”

Dr Gill Richardson, Wales’ Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Vaccines, said: “The first doses of the booster vaccine have been provided to frontline healthcare staff who look after some of our most vulnerable people as we continue to protect individuals from the virus, serious illness and the risk of hospitalisation.

“We have already seen the benefits that come from having as many people as possible vaccinated and have been preparing for this throughout the summer. Vaccines remain our strongest defence from the virus and to maintain the levels of immunity that people have achieved.”

Meanwhile, young people aged 12-15-years-old will begin to receive letters inviting them for their coronavirus vaccine next week, with the first vaccines for this age group set to be administered from October 4.

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; 95.8% second dose

Care home workers: 94% first dose; 90.9% second dose

Healthcare workers: 96.9% first dose; 95% second dose

Social care workers: 45,161 first dose; 44,520 second dose

Aged 80 and above: 96.2% first dose; 95.1% second dose

Aged 75-79: 97% first dose; 96.2% second dose

Aged 70-74: 96.3% first dose; 95.7% second dose

Clinically extremely vulnerable people aged 16-69 : 94.4% first dose; 92.2% second dose

Aged 65-69: 95.1% first dose; 94.2% second dose

Clinical risk groups aged 16 to 64: 90.5% first dose; 87.1% second dose

Aged 60-64: 93.5% first dose; 92.2% second dose

Aged 55-59: 91.8% first dose; 90.2% second dose

Aged 50-54: 89.9% first dose; 87.9% second dose

Aged 40-49: 84.9% first dose; 81.6% second dose

Aged 30-39: 78% first dose; 72.1% second dose

Aged 18-29: 77.2% first dose; 68.3% second dose

Aged 16-17: 69.2% first dose; 13.2% second dose

Source: Public Health Wales