“Vaccine is arriving in Wales” according to agreed schedules amid concern of ‘limited supply’

The First Minister has offered reassurance that coronavirus supplies are arriving in Wales according to prearranged schedules.

Locally there has been a “small scale” vaccination rollout for front line healthcare staff in Wrexham’s hospital over the last few days.

The health board was given an initial 975 doses of the vaccine and was expecting another batch towards the end of last week.

However, BCUHB’s executive director of primary and community care Dr Chris Stockport, has said : “Last week saw the start of a small scale vaccination rollout for front line healthcare staff working in high risk areas at Ysbyty Wrexham Maelor. It was planned that this would be followed by a similar roll out at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd starting this week. Our plans are changing due to a limited supply of the vaccine.”

We put Dr Stockport’s comment to the First Minister Mark Drakeford, and asked him what is the issue with vaccine supply, and when will it be resolved.

The First Minister replied, “The vaccine is arriving in Wales. It is arriving according to the schedules that we agree with the UK Government.”

“I always wanted the health service to have the most ambitious plans for vaccination and as the supply of vaccine steps up, particularly as we continue to hope that regulatory approval is given to the Oxford vaccine still potentially within this calendar year, we will be able to maximise the impact of vaccination in frontline staff.

“As you will know,  it is in North Wales today that we have a first vaccination of care home residents, we are already vaccinating care home staff.”

“Provided that all goes according to plan we will be spreading that rapidly to the rest of Wales as well.”

By the end of last week, more than 6,000 people had received the first dose of the vaccine across Wales.