THE health board has been able to administrate more than 300,000 vaccinations, thanks to an increase in supplies.

As of March 14, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) had delivered 317,393 total vaccinations.

Gill Harris, deputy chief executive, said: "Last week the vaccination programme ramped up significantly as GP surgery staff across the region helped us take advantage of a significant increase in vaccine supply. We simply could not deliver such a large and complex vaccination programme without their expertise.

"This week we have received a slightly reduced supply, but we remain on course to meet the Welsh Government’s target of offering vaccination to Priority Groups One to Nine by April 19, and to the rest of the eligible population by the end of July, subject to vaccine supplies."

Key information (as from March 14)

  • 317,393 total vaccinations have been administered in North Wales
  • First dose vaccines – 259,918
  • Second dose vaccines – 57,475
  • Percentage of people in Priority Group Five who have received a first dose: (ages 65 to 69): 89 per cent
  • Percentage of people in Priority Group 6 who have received a first dose (ages 16 to 64 in an at risk group): 58 per cent

Vaccination supply for the week ahead (week commencing March 15).

  • BCUHB will receive 54,240 vaccines (18,720 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 35,520 doses of AstraZeneca).
  • The Pfizer vaccine will again be used primarily for second doses.

This week BCUHB will continue to provide vaccination to the following groups, with invitations made by letter, text message and phone call:

  • People aged 65-69 years (Priority Group Five)
  • People aged 16-64 years in an at risk group (Priority Group Six)
  • People aged 60-64 years (Priority Group Seven)
  • Second doses within 12 weeks to those who have received their first vaccination

People in Priority Groups Six to Nine will have received their invitation for their first vaccination by April 5. Invitations will be sent by the following dates:

  • Group Six (people aged 16-65 years in an at-risk group): all invitations due to be sent by the end of this week.
  • Group Seven (people aged 60-64 years): all invitations due to be sent by March 22.
  • Group Eight (people aged 55-59 years): all invitations due to be sent by March 29.
  • Group Nine (people aged 50-54 years): starting March 22 with all invitations due to be sent by April 5.

Advice for people in Priority Groups 1-5 who have not yet been able to take up an appointment.

Priority Groups One to Five includes people aged 65 years and over and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and on the shielding list.

People in these priority groups may not have been able to take up an appointment because they have had Covid within the last 28 days, or been ill for other reasons; they’ve had a different vaccination within the last seven days; or they may not have wanted the vaccine when it was first offered. The door is always open for anyone who has changed their mind.

BCUHB's Covid-19 Vaccination Booking Centre number should only be used by people invited by letter or text message or by people in Priority Groups One to Five who want the Covid-19 vaccine, but haven’t yet been able to take up a first appointment.

People in Priority Groups One to Five can contact their GP to book a local appointment, or, for an appointment at a Mass Vaccination Centre (MVC), telephone 03000 840004.

Opening hours are 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. However, effective from Saturday, March 20 the booking centre opening hours will change to 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday.

Important information about vaccine safety

"Please be assured that the COVID-19 vaccines currently licensed for use are safe and effective," Ms Harris said.

"Several European countries have suspended their rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after reports of blood clotting in an extremely small number of patients.

"In response, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Health Wales and Wales’ Chief Medical Officer Frank Atherton have all sought to provide reassurance about its safety.

"They say the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause of blood clots and people should still go and get their Covid-19 vaccine when asked to do so."

Frank Atherton, chief medical officer for Wales, said: “I received my vaccine last week and I would encourage everyone who is invited to get theirs too.

“Tens of millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been safely given in the UK. The evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause of blood clots, as is being reported elsewhere.”

For more guidance and information, click here.