ADVERTS urging people in priority groups to get vaccinated against swine flu will were launched today.

The press and radio campaign will encourage people to get a jab when invited by their GP.

Pregnant women, people with chronic conditions and those in contact with people with weakened immune systems are due to be vaccinated by the end of the year.

They are being seen first because they are most at risk from swine flu and its complications.

Figures out last week showed the spread of flu had stalled, with a slight drop in the number of people contacting their doctors with symptoms.

Officials said it may have been due to the half-term holiday and warned it was too early to say whether the virus had peaked.

The number of swine flu-related deaths in Wales has risen to eight, not including a man from Wales who died while abroad.

Chief Medical Officer Tony Jewell said: "The swine flu vaccination programme is in progress and the vaccine is being made available to people in priority groups who are most at risk from complications from the virus.

"The priority groups - those with chronic conditions, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, as well as the people who live with them - will be invited by their GP practices to be vaccinated.

"I urge people identified as being at risk to get their vaccination once they have their invitation. The vaccine has been tested and approved and is the simplest and most effective way of protecting people's health from the virus.’’ He added: "We are also vaccinating frontline health and social care workers to ensure that we continue to care for the most vulnerable people in the community.

"We hope to have completed these priority vaccinations by the end of the year. The vaccine may then be offered more widely to healthy people but our priority now is to ensure those most at risk are protected.’’