London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 30, 2026

Covid and flu jabs could be given at same time in the autumn

Covid and flu jabs could be given at same time in the autumn

People in Wales could receive Covid boosters and flu jabs at the same time this autumn, Welsh government has said.

Health boards have been asked to look into co-administering the jabs, which the deputy chief medical officer for vaccines said would be "quite a feat".

Flu jabs are often given in GP surgeries while Covid jabs have mostly been given in mass vaccination centres.

Dr Gill Richardson said a number of the large jab centres would close but some smaller sites may be kept open.

The Welsh government's plan is for the Covid rollout to become part of an existing immunisation programme.

It includes moving away from an emergency response to the pandemic and looking at how to deliver the Covid booster like other seasonal jabs.

Dr Richardson said delivering both jabs at the same time could reduce pressure on primary care settings, such as GP surgeries.

"We know that you can give the flu vaccine and Covid vaccine at the same time in different arms," she said.

"We know the early flu strains as they emerge in the east, those viruses are examined and the flu vaccine is affected so a new flu vaccine is developed every year.

"Depending on the timing of that being available, I think there could well be co-administration for many people and that would be an ideal."

Vaccines by numbers: The latest facts and figures


*  There are about 350,000 people in Wales who qualify for a second booster jab, out of those aged over 75, in care homes or severely immunosuppressed

*  Nearly 6.8 million vaccine doses have been given out since the programme started in December 2020

*  Wales has reached nearly 80% of its total population with a first dose and 75.2% with a second dose - just behind Scotland in reaching the most of its population.


*  For boosters/third doses, both Wales and Scotland have reached 87% of those eligible. That's 61.7% of the total population. Globally, that places Wales sixth among nations of more than a million at reaching the highest proportion of population

*  The programme, as it stands, has slowed down considerably since a burst of booster vaccinations in the three weeks before Christmas

*  Boosters are now averaging about 1,500 a day, compared with 50,000 at the peak

*  Just over 16,200 vaccines were given out in the last week

Throughout the pandemic, leisure centres and a former children's toy shop were transformed into mass vaccination centres to help deliver the vaccine to as many people as possible.

But many of these will close soon with some smaller ones retained by health boards as a precaution.

The spring roll-out of a fourth dose of the Covid jab will be for people aged 75 and over, care home residents and those aged over 12 who are immuno-suppressed.

A further booster is likely to be offered to these groups during the autumn.

'Saved countless lives'


The British Medical Association (BMA) in Wales welcomed the autumn move, but expressed some concerns over how surgeries will manage to deliver a fourth vaccine to all priority groups during the spring.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Dr Phil White, chairman of the BMA's Welsh GP committee, said:"While GPs expect, and are willing, to play a role in Covid vaccine booster campaigns, we have heard very little detail about Welsh government's April booster plans.

"Later in the year it would appear sensible to give people both their flu jab and a Covid vaccine booster at the same time, as two separate jabs.

"GPs will be seeing many of their most vulnerable patients to give them the flu jab, so this strategy would help keep patients safe while also complimenting the other support GPs provide."

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said the coronavirus vaccines had "saved countless lives and given us the freedom and confidence to restart our lives in the midst of an ongoing global health emergency".

She added: "This strategy sets out our plans for 2022 and beyond, including a commitment to deliver a regular Covid-19 vaccination programme while planning for any potential surge capacity, should we need to, in the case of a new pandemic wave or a new coronavirus variant."


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
Eli Lilly Seeks UK Pricing Deal to Unlock Renewed Pharmaceutical Investment
Three Arrested in UK After Massive Cocaine Haul Discovered Hidden in Banana Shipment
UK Fuel Prices Poised for Further Surge Amid Global Energy Pressures
Apple Subsidiary Penalized by UK Authorities for Breach of Moscow Sanctions
Western Allies Intensify Coordinated Sanctions Strategy Against Russia
UK Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Renewed Push for Social Media Restrictions
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
×