“Vast majority” of vaccine appointments for over 50s sent out, say health board
The “vast majority” of vaccination appointments for those over the age of 50 who are waiting for their first jab have been posted out, according to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
It comes after First Minister Mark Drakeford announced that all over-50s in Wales would be offered a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine by Easter Sunday.
Today Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said that along with the top nine categories, a “significant number” of invitations to people in their forties have also been sent out this week.
In Wrexham 74,685 vaccines have been administered, Anglesey: 52,439, Gwynedd: 76,238, Conwy: 87,785, Denbighshire: 63,888, Flintshire: 86,682 and other: 10,501.
Vaccination progress as at April 5th 2021:
- 447,420 total vaccinations have been administered in North Wales
- First dose vaccines – 334,670
- Second dose vaccines – 112,750
Percentage of people in Priority Groups who have received a first dose:
- Priority Group 5 (ages 65 to 69): 93 per cent
- Priority Group 6 (ages 16 to 64 in an at risk group): 81 per cent
- Priority Group 7 (ages 60 to 64): 83 per cent
- Priority Group 8 (ages 55-59): 69 per cent
- Priority Group 9 (ages 50-54): 46 per cent
However a number of people aged between 50 and 60 have contacted Wrexham.com since the first minister’s announcement stating they are yet to receive an invite for the jab.
The North Wales health board told our sister site Deeside.com that bank holiday postal arrangements may have delayed some letters being received.
On Tuesday Dr Giri Shankar, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “We urge anyone over 50 who has not yet received an invite for their vaccination to contact their local health board.”
But the health board has said only those in Priority Groups 1-5 (aged 65 or over or are clinically extremely vulnerable) should contact them directly if they have not yet been able to take up an appointment.
Dr Chris Stockport, Executive Director of Primary and Community Care, said: “The vast majority of vaccination appointments for the remainder of people in Priority Groups 5-9 not yet vaccinated have been booked and invitation letters sent in the post last week.
“Most of these letters have been delivered, but a small number may arrive in the coming days, because of bank holiday postal arrangements.
“Priority Groups 5-9 includes people aged 50 and over and those aged 16-70 in an at risk group.
“We have also sent a significant number of invitations to people in their forties as we look ahead to offering vaccination to the remainder of the adult population in reverse age order before the end of July.
“We are determined to not leave anybody behind, so if you are in Priority Groups 1-5 (aged 65 or over or are clinically extremely vulnerable) and have not yet been able to take up an appointment, please call our COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Centre on 03000 840004.
“The lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 1pm.
“If you’re in Priority Groups 6-9 (aged 50-64 or aged 16-70 and in an at risk group), and you’ve not been able to take up an appointment, we’ll contact you to offer you another appointment in the coming weeks.
Please be patient and don’t contact your GP or our COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Centre unless you need to cancel or amend an existing appointment.”
A detailed breakdown of the North Wales COVID-19 Vaccination Programme can be found on our vaccinations statistics page.
Vaccination supply for the week ahead
Of the 25,000 vaccines allocated to the health board this week, over half will be used for second doses.
Who we are currently vaccinating and how they will be contacted
This week the health board are continuing to provide vaccination to the following groups, with invitations made by letter, text message and phone call:
- People aged 65-69 years (Priority Group 5)
- People aged 16-64 years with underlying health conditions (Priority Group 6)
- People aged 60-64 years (Priority Group 7)
- People aged 55-59 years (Priority Group 8)
- People aged 50-54 years (Priority Group 9)
- Second doses to those who have received their first vaccination up to 12 weeks ago
- People in Priority Groups 1-4 who were not able to take up an appointment when they were originally invited
Dr Stockport said: “If you receive an invitation for an appointment but are sure that you do not wish to be vaccinated then please let us know so that we can offer that appointment to somebody else.
“Because appointment invitations for Priority Groups 5-9 have already been sent in the post, we may invite people in their forties to receive vaccination at short notice, to fill missed appointment slots.
“There is no formal reserve list that people in their forties need to apply to join – we will use our existing records to contact you.”
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