A TOTAL of 600,068 vaccinations have been administered in North Wales.

More than 400,000 people in North Wales have now received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and BCUHB say they continue to make good progress as they look ahead to offering vaccination to all eligible adults before the end of July.

Vaccination progress as at May 4:

  • 600,068 total vaccinations have been administered in North Wales
  • First dose vaccines – 409,956
  • Second dose vaccines – 190,112

Percentage of people in Priority Groups who have received a first dose:

  • People aged 65 to 69: 93 per cent
  • People aged 16 to 64 in an at risk group: 85 per cent
  • People aged 60 to 64: 88 per cent
  • People aged 55-59: 86 per cent
  • People aged 50-54: 84 per cent
  • People aged 40-49: 43 per cent People aged 30-39: 15 per cent
  • People aged 18-29: 29 per cent

Who BCUHB are currently vaccinating and how they will be contacted:

Gill Harris, executive director of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "This week we are continuing to provide vaccination to the following groups, with invitations made by letter, text message and phone call.

"People in Priority Groups 1-9 who were unable to receive their vaccination when it was first offered. This includes people aged 50 plus; people aged 16-64 with certain underlying health conditions; unpaid carers; and those living with people who are immunosuppressed."

People aged 18-49 years (Priority Group 10)

Ms Harris said: "If you have any concerns about receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, please still attend your appointment so we can take the time to discuss these with you before you make a decision on whether or not to go ahead with vaccination.

"Please remember that the Covid-19 vaccine is only available through the NHS and it is completely free of charge. We will never ask for copies of your personal documents or bank details to book an appointment.

"If you receive an email, text message or phone call purporting to be from the NHS and you are asked to provide financial details, this is a scam."

Missed appointments

Gill Harris, executive director of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "We are seeing a growing problem with people failing to attend vaccination appointments.

"Vaccines are never thrown away, but each missed appointment wastes vital NHS resources and creates significant logistical challenges for our staff, who are pulled away from other duties to contact people next in line at short notice to fill appointment slots.

"While a small number of these missed appointments are a result of duplicate appointments, incorrect contact details or appointment letters arriving late, we know that in the vast majority of cases, it is because people have failed to notify us that they cannot attend, or do not wish to be vaccinated."

People are being urged to let the health board know if they cannot attend their appointment so the jab can be offered to somebody else. Residents can call the GP surgery if they are due to receive vaccination there or call the Covid-19 Vaccination Contact Centre on 03000 840004 if they are due to receive vaccination anywhere else.

The lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 1pm

Ms Harris said: "If you receive a text message appointment reminder, this will include details of how you can cancel your appointment by text.

"Please still attend if you have any concerns about the vaccine, so we can take the time to discuss these with you before you make a decision on whether or not to go ahead with vaccination.

"We are also appealing to employers across the region to be sympathetic to requests for their staff to take time off to attend vaccination appointments.

"Vaccination provides the best protection from becoming seriously ill with Covid-19, and it is our best route out of the pandemic."

Second dose appointments

"It is important people receive both doses of the vaccine in order to receive the best protection from Covid-19," Ms Harris said.

"In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) there is currently an 11 week gap between administering first and second doses.

"We ask people to be patient in waiting for their second dose invitation. However, anyone who has been waiting more than eleven weeks for their second dose appointment should contact: Their GP if they received a first dose at a GP surgery; the Covid-19 Vaccination Contact Centre on 03000 840004 if they received their first dose anywhere else.

"The lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 1pm.

"Please be patient and only call if it has been 11 weeks since your first dose and you have not yet had an appointment for your second."

Advice for those who haven’t yet received an invitation

People in the following groups who have not yet been able to take up an appointment are asked to complete an online form. BCUHB will then send out an appointment letter in the post.

Complete the form if you are:

  • A person over 16 who lives with individuals with severely weakened immune systems.
  • Aged 40 or over and not received an invite.
  • Aged 16 years to 64 years with certain underlying health conditions.
  • Unpaid carers who are unknown to BCUHB.

Anyone aged 18-39 is asked to be patient – "you shouldn’t be waiting too much longer now."

Covid-19 Vaccination Contact Centre

Ms Harris said: "Please help us to help you by only calling our Covid-19 Vaccination Contact Centre for the following reasons: You have been invited to contact us to cancel or amend an appointment; You are in one of the groups described above and haven’t yet been able to take up a first appointment, and you are unable to access the internet to complete our online form (you will have your contact details taken and will receive a call back to book an appointment); You had your first dose anywhere other than a GP surgery and you have been waiting more than 11 weeks for your second dose appointment.

"The Covid-19 Vaccination Contact Centre number is 03000 840004 and the lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 1pm."

JCVI guidance

"The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are continuing to review data on the level of risk associated with offering the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and may update their advice in the coming days," Ms Harris said.

"In the meantime, we have provided advice to all our clinicians and partners in primary care to continue to follow national guidance in administering Covid-19 vaccines while maintaining their duty of candour to patients by discussing this matter with them when they attend their appointment."

Drive-thru vaccination clinic pilot

Last week BCUHB held a successful first Drive-Thru Vaccination Oxford AstraZeneca Clinic at Preswyfla in Mold.

"We are currently examining how further drive-thru clinics can be introduced elsewhere in North Wales in the coming weeks," Ms Harris said.

Providing vaccination closer to home

"Working with our GP cluster colleagues, we have begun introducing additional vaccination clinics in order to increase flexibility and offer vaccination to people closer to home," Ms Harris said.

"Where there is an opportunity for people to contact us to book an appointment at one of these clinics, this will be communicated via our social media channels."

For further information on the North Wales Covid-19 Vaccination Programme, click here.