THE British Medical Association are "extremely concerned" about the Welsh Government's approach to the coronavirus vaccine rollout.

This morning, first minister Mark Drakeford said that Wales’s supply of the Pfizer vaccine had to last until February and therefore was not being used all at once.

The British Medical Association responded that "second doses must be given within the maximum 42 day timeline".

The organisation tweeted: “Extremely concerned the Welsh Government is spacing out the Pfizer vaccine to make it last until the next delivery.

“If Pfizer vaccines are available, second does must be given within the maximum 42 day timeline and all remaining vaccinations for staff must be accelerated.”

Plaid Cymru’s health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Wales appears now to be dramatically behind England in terms of vaccine rollout, so to see the first minister being relaxed about the slow pace of the vaccine rollout here is very, very frustrating.

“The most recent data from both NHS England and Public Health Wales demonstrates that Wales is lagging way behind.

“Comparing Wales and England isn’t always useful – for various reasons, we’re ahead on some things, and England ahead on others – it’s swings and roundabouts. But where it’s a four-nations programme, we need to know it’s a level playing field.

“Welsh Government must give an update on vaccines made available for Wales – of each type – plus numbers vaccinated in Wales compared to England, using the different types of vaccine, and on the projected supply of vaccines in the weeks to come. Why are we rationing here?

“Transparency is crucial at this stage so that progress can be measured, and that both governments can be held accountable and questioned on progress where needed.”

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While Welsh Conservative shadow health minister Andrew RT Davies added: “Whether intended or not, this outburst of honesty from the first minister tells the Welsh people all they need to know.

“The Welsh Labour Government is failing to deliver its vaccine programme.

“His shocking doubling down on his decision to delay deployment of Pfizer vaccine supplies is dangerous and makes no clinical sense whatsoever.

“We need to get these vaccinations into people’s arms ASAP. Lives and livelihoods across Wales are at stake.”

Mr Drakeford had told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “There will be no point, and certainly it will be logistically very damaging to try to use all of that in the first week and then to have all our vaccinators standing around with nothing to do for another month.

“The sensible thing to do is to use the vaccine you’ve got over the period that you’ve got it for so that your system can absorb it, they can go on working, that you don’t have people standing around with nothing to do.

“We will vaccinate all four priority groups by the middle of February, alongside everywhere else in the UK.”