MS, Cabinet Secretary for
Health and Social Care: The Joint Committee on Vaccination
and Immunisation (JCVI) is an independent expert
advisory committee, which advises UK governments
about immunisation and makes
recommendations about vaccination
schedules and vaccine safety.
As part of its most recent review of the COVID-19 vaccination
programme, the JCVI published advice about
the eligibility for autumn 2025 and spring 2026. I have accepted
this advice in relation to Wales.
Eligibility for the autumn 2025 COVID-19 programme will be
narrower than in recent years and with similar eligibility to the
current spring programme. This is in line with a transition to a
narrower programme overall, as high levels of population immunity
have developed over the past four-and-a-half years.
The focus of the programme is towards targeted vaccination for
people who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease,
including mortality. This includes older adults and individuals
who are immunosuppressed.
In autumn 2025 and spring 2026, the following groups will be
eligible for a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine:
- Residents in a care home for older adults
- All adults aged 75 years and over
- People aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group,
as defined in the immunosuppression sections of tables three and
four of the COVID-19 chapter of the
Green Book
NHS organisations are preparing for the autumn COVID-19
programme.
The JCVI continues to review eligibility for the COVID-19
vaccination programme, to ensure it meets future public health
needs.
