NORTH Wales will start making its preparations for the winter months soon – starting with a focus on ensuring effective vaccinations have been put in as many arms as possible.

Figures released this week from the Office for National Statistics show that fully vaccinated people are much less likely to die with COVID-19 than those who aren’t.

Out of more than 51,000 COVID-19 deaths in England between January and July 2021, only 256 occurred after two doses. Among those who sadly died with COVID-19 after being double jabbed, 75 per cent were clinically extremely vulnerable.

Here in Wales, despite worryingly high case rates, the vaccination programme is continuing to save thousands of lives.

Despite the success of the vaccination programme, COVID-19 is continuing to place significant pressure on our services and contributing to a perfect storm of challenges for the NHS in North Wales.

Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, has discussed the latest plans to prepare the region for the winter months.

This includes the latest news revealed by Welsh Government that children as young as 12 will be getting letters to invite them for their COVID jab as soon as next week

Vaccinating young people aged 12-15:

Following the recommendation of the four UK Chief Medical Officers, the Welsh Government has confirmed that young people aged 12-15 will be offered one dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Ms Harris said: “The vaccine is being offered to this age group on the basis that it will help to reduce transmission and thus further disruption to education and recently restored freedoms, as well as offering a marginal health benefit.”

She confirms that BCUHB teams will begin vaccinating healthy young people aged 12-15 from Monday, October 4.

From this date, those aged 12-15 can receive their vaccine by attending any of our vaccination sites, where we will be running after school and weekend sessions.

A vaccination appointment can be booked in advance by parents or guardians with parental responsibility through our online booking service.

A parent or guardian will need to provide consent on behalf of the young person and accompany them when receiving their vaccination.

Ms Harris continued: “At this stage we are not planning to vaccinate this age group in school based clinics, but we will keep this under review.

“Appropriate information is currently being collated by Public Health Wales to enable young people and their parents to make an informed choice about vaccination. Further details will be shared very soon.

“We will also be writing to the parents/guardians of children aged 12-15 to set out when and where their child can get vaccinated.”

COVID-19 vaccine booster:

On Tuesday, September 14, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended offering a booster vaccine to certain groups in order to reduce further incidence of COVID-19 and maximise protection in those who are most vulnerable to serious infection, ahead of the winter months.

The JCVI recommends that the following individuals should be offered a third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine, if a minimum of six months have passed since their second dose:

• Those living in residential care homes for older adults

• All adults aged 50 years or over

• Frontline health and social care workers

• All those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 (as set out in the Green Book), and adult carers

• Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

Ms Harris said: “We have been planning for the COVID-19 booster programme for some time, and we will begin sending invitations to the eligible population in the coming days.

“In line with JCVI guidance, we will invite those eligible for a booster jab based on the same priority order as the first phase, provided at least six months have passed since their second dose.”

The hralth board states that a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be offered, irrespective of which vaccine those eligible have previously received.

Health minster Eluned Morgan MS made no mention of AstraZenica jabs being used at her Welsh Government press conference on Tuesday.

Booster vaccines will be administered using a mix of primary care teams and vaccination centres.

Ms Harris continued: “We ask those who are eligible to please be patient and remember that there is no need to contact us to book an appointment. You will be contacted directly when it is your turn

“It will not be standard practice to give the Flu and COVID-19 booster vaccines at the same time, but there may be a small number of cases where timing and logistics allow us to do this.

“As most younger adults will only receive their second COVID-19 vaccine dose in late summer, the benefits of booster vaccination in this group will be considered at a later time, by the JCVI, when more information is available.”