Wales’ figures “show how keen people have been to say yes to vaccination” as First Minister says nobody will be “left behind”
Wales’ First Minister is urging those yet to be vaccinated or have changed their mind to come forward and book an appointment in a bid to make sure “no one left behind.”
It comes as the Welsh Government announced that all over-18s across Wales will be offered a Covid vaccine by the start of next week.
Wales expects to reach 75% take-up for first jabs across all priority groups and age groups a month ahead of target – the original milestone was the end of July.
Today also saw the publication of the Welsh Government’s new COVID-19 vaccination strategy for Wales, which sets out the progress being made vaccinating those eligible and a review of the current approach.
It notes that subject to vaccine supply all eligible should receive both doses of a coronavirus vaccine by September.
Speaking at this afternoon’s public briefing, First Minister Mark Drakeford said Wales’ figures “show how keen people have been to say yes to vaccination”.
Mr Drakeford said: “I know that people across Wales are very proud that we have one of the best vaccination programs in the world. Indeed, we are leading the globe in terms of the percentage of our population who have been vaccinated.
“By Monday of next week, health boards will have sent out offers of vaccination to all eligible adults in Wales. That’s everyone over 18.
“The original plan was that would happen by the end of July, but I can confirm today that that target will be achieved by the middle of June, some six weeks ahead of schedule.
“At the same time we expect to have reached at least 75% take up across all priority groups and age groups and to do that a month ahead of the original schedule.
“Of course most priority groups already have taken up rates well above 75%. The new strategy shows how we will press ahead to ensure that we get the highest possible rates across all groups.
“By any standards this is a remarkable achievement, and a tribute to the hard work of all those involved in the program, to all of those doing the complex work of planning behind the scenes and to the 1000s of people vaccinating, and helping to run the clinics across our country.
“You are doing a fantastic job and I know that people in Wales are incredibly proud and thankful for everything you are doing to help protect us all from this awful virus.”
He also urged anyone who has yet to receive a vaccine or have changed their mind after previously turning down the opportunity to come forward and book an appointment.
Since the start of the rollout work has been carried out to reach people from minority ethnic groups, people experiencing homelessness, disabled people and people at economic disadvantage.
As part of the Welsh Government’s new COVID-19 vaccination strategy for Wales highlights the action being taken to reach those communities and to remove barriers.
Other issues cited for take up include lack of transport, childcare issues, incorrect contact details and being unable to reschedule an appointment.
Mr Drakeford said the new vaccination strategy “sets out how we will redouble our efforts to make sure that nobody is left behind.”
He said: “A great deal of work has been done over the last few months to reduce inequalities and to tackle any remaining vaccine hesitancy.
“Pop-up clinics have been set up for specific groups, including the over 40s, for travellers for the homeless, and for faith groups.
“I myself have the privilege of attending the very first pop-up vaccine clinic in Wales to be run during the Ramadan period, set up and staffed by Muslim Doctors Cymru.
“Now the good news is that because of all that effort that gap in take up of the vaccine between some of these groups has now reduced as a result of all that work.
“There is still more to be done of course, because we are all safer the more of us who are vaccinated.”
Asked what groups in particular he was concerned about being left behind, the first minister said: “There is some evidence that as we go down the age ranges, take up of the vaccine may be lower than in the older age ranges.
“But there is also evidence that if you go about the offer in the right way, you can get those numbers to recover quite quickly.
“Originally we were concerned that in some groups in the population, some BAME populations, people weren’t coming forward in quite, very high numbers as others in the population – still at very high numbers, in excess of the 75% threshold we’ve set
“But the efforts that I described in my statement, often led by clinicians from those communities, is closing that gap as well.
“There is a bit of a socio economic gradient, well off people come forward in slightly larger numbers than people who’s circumstances are more challenging.
“The good news is, is that where the system makes extra efforts to make vaccination more accessible and available, people come forward for it.
“So I don’t think we are concerned but we do need to go on making those efforts to make the availability of vaccination as easy as it can be for people in the different age, socioeconomic and ethnic statuses that we have in Wales.”
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