About the vaccination programme

The Covid-19 vaccination programme is the biggest in NHS history and a huge step forward in our fight against coronavirus. The vaccine is helping to protect people from serious illness, is saving  tens of thousands of lives and is helping us all return to a more normal life.

Everyone over 17 years and 9 months in Wales has been invited for at least their first vaccination and uptake is world-leading with nearly 90% having had their first dose. Second doses are well underway with over 75% fully vaccinated meaning they have longer lasting and more effective protection.

However, for the vaccine to be as effective as possible, it is really important that as many people as possible have it. For a range of reasons, some people may not have received their invitation or accepted the offer – the offers do not expire and all health boards in Wales are offering vaccinations to anyone over 18 who wants one. To protect against variants and prevent further lockdowns, it’s vital to get as many people fully vaccinated as soon as possible while vaccine supplies are available.

The role of employers

Welsh Government  are urging employers in Wales to encourage employees to be vaccinated.

Organisations play a vital role in helping to promote a positive vaccination message to make sure workplaces are safe and employees are protected. Only through collective effort, will we help people to make well informed decisions and encourage as many people as possible to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

What can employers do to encourage employees to get the vaccine?

• Be as flexible as possible when it comes to staff getting the vaccine, which could include giving paid time off work for employees to attend their vaccination appointment.
• Use the campaign resources to run an awareness campaign in your organisation and provide employees with access to reliable and accurate information about the vaccine.
• Share the Q&A document and expert advice videos to explain the vaccine and answer common questions employees may have.
• Urge staff to be cautious of misinformation and encourage them to use trusted sources like www.phw.nhs.wales if they are searching for information or answers to questions about the vaccine.
• Create employee advocates by encouraging staff to discuss their vaccine experiences and share accurate information with colleagues, family and friends.

Find out more at gov.wales/coronavirus