Mark Druckford to deliver a televised address to the nation on COVID

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The prime minister is set to address the nation on Monday evening as concerns about the transmissible Omicron variant grow exponentially.

Mark Druckford will appear on BBC One Wells and on social media at 7pm to inform the public about the Rapid Boost programme.

The current goal is for a booster dose to be offered to all eligible adults by the end of January, but Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton said this could be brought forward to the end of December in line with England.

Read more: First UK patient dies after picking up Omicron variant

“We are learning more about the Omicron variant every day,” Mr. Drakeford said Sunday evening.

“This is a fast-moving form of the coronavirus, which has the potential to cause a significant wave of infection in Wales. This could result in large numbers of people needing to be treated in hospital at a time when our NHS is under great pressure.

“Our best defense is still vaccination. Emerging evidence shows that a booster dose is vital.

“We are doing everything we can to speed up our vaccination program to increase the number of people who will receive a booster dose in the coming days and weeks. Priority is being given to the elderly and those most at risk at the moment.”

The first minister said Wales would increase the number and opening hours of clinics, and asked all available staff to join vaccination teams “to support this national effort”.

It will allow the Welsh NHS to increase the number of vaccinations from 19,000 per day to a target of more than 200,000 per week.

“Please make getting a booster a priority. It will be one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from the coronavirus and this new alternative,” he added.

The Welsh government has now moved to the weekly review cycle in light of the ever-changing picture around Omicron.

Mr Drakeford added: “We are facing a very dangerous situation and we may need to take further steps to keep Wales safe. I will continue to keep Wales updated.”

In response to the emergence of the Omicron variant, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JVCI) said a booster dose should now be offered to all adults over 18 years of age.

Previously, the interval between vaccinations was six months, but this has now been shortened to three so that the start of vaccination can be accelerated before a possible wave of infection.

More than a million people in Wales – 1,074,581 according to Public Health Wales – have received the Covid booster vaccine, most of them in the highest priority groups.

More than three-quarters of nursing home residents (84.2%) and over-80s (82.5%), more than three-quarters of healthcare workers (76.2%) and nearly two-thirds of all care home workers (65.8%) have had it. Even today.

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