Covid vaccination invitations to be sent to over 80s in Mumbles next week

Over 80s in Mumbles will be getting invitations from their GP surgeries for their Covid-19 vaccinations, Swansea Bay Health Board has announced.

According to the health board, almost 9,000 people have had their vaccinations against the virus in Swansea Bay already.

With vaccinations in care homes having started already, over 80s across Swansea will begin getting invitations from their GP surgeries.

In a Tweet, Swansea Bay NHS advised over 80s against ringing GP surgeries about vaccinations, saying "wait for your invite."

"My parents are both over 80. I'll tell them to expect a call next week," one resident said.

Around 8,400 frontline NHS and social care workers in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot have already received the first of their two scheduled vaccinations.

By the end of January, it is planned that all 23,000 frontline health and social care staff in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot will have been offered their first vaccination, helping to safeguard not only the workers themselves, but key services they provide.

Vaccinations started in December, with the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines given initially at Morriston Hospital to frontline healthcare workers.

"We have made a good start, as around half of the frontline health and social care workers in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot are likely to have had their first vaccinations by the end of this week, and hopefully the vast majority of them by February," Dr Keith Reid, Swansea Bay UHB Director of Public Heath, said.

"This is very welcome progress, as these people are at the highest personal risk of catching Covid-19 because they work closely with patients in their daily jobs.

"Getting them vaccinated early not only safeguards their health, but protects the health and social care services they deliver.

"Now, I am delighted to say we are in a position to step the vaccination programme up a few gears, with the delivery of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

"It's very encouraging to see the enthusiasm of our colleagues in primary care who keen to begin vaccinating in the community, so together we can safeguard the most vulnerable people quickly.

"Our new vaccination centres coming online soon will also make a big difference."

Judith Vincent, Clinical Director of Pharmacy for Swansea Bay, thanked pharmacies on Twitter for their role in delivering the programme.

"A huge thank you to the pharmacy teams pivotal to delivery of this programme across all the settings – couldn't be done without you – proud to be SBU Chief pharmacist," she wrote.

The health board said that vaccines are being given in this order of a nationally agreed vulnerability criteria:

1. Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
2. All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3. All those 75 years of age and over
4. All those 70 years of age and over; and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
5. All those 65 years of age and over
6. All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
7. All those 60 years of age and over
8. All those 55 years of age and over
9. All those 50 years of age and over