ALL adults in Wales will be offered the first  coronavirus vaccination by July 31, as part of plans to speed up vaccine delivery and testing. The announcement was made today in the latest briefing by health minister Vaughan Gething.

An update to Wales' vaccination strategy will be published on Friday, February 26, but the new target has been brought forward from next autumn.

Friday's update will provide more details on current and forthcoming priorities, including - subject to vaccine supply - the bringing forward of target dates for key milestones.

There will also be an expansion for workplace and community testing.

The scheme in place for workplace testing is being extended to public and private organisations with more than 50 employees.

This will introduce a testing scheme with the provision of lateral flow devices, training, access to an online testing portal, and clinical standard operating procedures and guidelines.

“Our vaccine and testing programmes are key to safely reopening up our society and economy," said health minister Vaughan Gething.

“Our vaccine programme continues at pace and on Friday I’m publishing a revised vaccine strategy with detail on how we will, subject to supply, offer every eligible adult in Wales the first dose of the vaccine by the end of July.

“Workplaces with more than 50 employees will now be eligible for support to regularly test their workforce, helping reduce the spread of the virus and allow them to operate safely.”

Targeted community testing will begin next week in parts of Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf. Mr Gething said: “This will help find those who show no symptoms of coronavirus.”

On the re-opening of Wales and lifting restrictions, he said: “We have already set out our revised plans for the careful and cautious re-opening of Wales’ society and economy. The measures announced today will play an important part in achieving that as safely and quickly as possible.”