THE second mass vaccination centre in Gwent has opened its doors.

Caerphilly County Borough Council has been transformed into a vaccination centre, the second of its kind in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area.

People should only attend the centre after being invited for an appointment.

Caerphilly's Neighbourhood Care Network tweeted: "The second Aneurin Bevan University Health Board mass vaccination centre is opening in Caerphilly.

"Please wait to be invited for an appointment as they are inviting those in the highest priority groups first."

Dr Liam Taylor, a GP and deputy medical director at the health board, added: "Great to be opening our second vaccination centre at Caerphilly County Borough Council HQ with the Oxford vaccine."

South Wales Argus:

Pitcure: Twitter, Christina Harrhy

Vaccinations started in Gwent in December, when the first doses of the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine were administered in Cwmbran.

And more than 6,000 people were vaccinated in Gwent in the first three weeks of the Pfizer vaccine rollout.

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"As a health board our intent is to vaccinate as many eligible people as quickly and as safely as possible," said a health board spokesman.

"We are following the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority groups and have plans in place to vaccinate the top two priority groups in the first instance.

"We plan to open a number of mass vaccination centres across Gwent, including in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly borough, Monmouthshire and Newport as vaccine supply becomes available.

"In addition mobile units will be used to help deliver the vaccine to care homes, and via some GP practices across Gwent.

"The approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine has now enabled us to start vaccinating residents within care homes.

"Over the first three weeks of delivering the rollout, we have vaccinated more than 6,000 people, using all the supply we received. We have plans in place to deliver to the top two priority groups in line with future supplies, as they become available.

"For residents over the age of 80, the majority of residents will receive their invitation for the vaccine via letter, which you should expect to receive over the next few weeks.

"If appointments are available at short notice people may also be contacted by phone but the main invitation route will be via letter."