THE task of inviting people in Gwent in the first four priority groups for a first dose of coronavirus vaccine should be completed in the next few days, says Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

These groups cover - residents and staff in older adult care homes; frontline health and social care workers, and people aged 80 years and over; people aged 75 and over; people aged 70 and over, and those aged 16-69 who are deemed to be 'extremely clinically vulnerable'.

"We expect to complete the invitation process for these groups by mid-February," states the health board's weekly vaccination newsletter.

The focus for first doses will then shift to those in priority groups five to nine. The latter are:

  • Priority group five - people aged 65 years and over;
  • Priority group six - adults in an 'at risk' group aged 16-64 years, and unpaid carers;
  • Priority group seven - 60 years and over;
  • Prioirty group eight - 55 years and over;
  • Priority group nine - 50 years and over.

"We are working towards plans to invite those within the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) groups five-nine by the spring," states the newsletter.

However, it stresses that "due to a number of variable factors, such as the number of doses we are allocated, plans can change at short notice.

Last week, Gwent's health board reached the milestone of 100,000 first dose Covid-19 vaccinations, and had vaccinated a total of 111,443 people by the end of February 7.

"A huge thank you to all those who have attended their vaccination appointments so far," reads a health board statement.

According to health board figures, 84.5 per cent of people aged 80 and above have received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine.

In the 75-and-over age group, 87.5 per cent have had a first dose, while 67 per cent of those aged 70 and over have received their first dose.

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"We have offered vaccinations to all staff and residents from our older adult care homes that are safe for us to do so, and those we haven’t yet been able to go to are continually being risk assessed," states the health board's vaccination newsletter.

"The patients currently being offered the vaccination are those eligible within the JCVI group’s 1-4."

The process of vaccinating people who are housebound was begun by district nurses, GPs, mobile units and primary care nurses last week, and "patients will be contacted to let them know that the team are coming to give them their vaccine". "Please contact your GP to check whether you are registered as housebound."

The newsletter - https://abuhb.nhs.wales/files/coronavirus/vaccination-newsletters/news-issue-4-080221-pdf/ - also asks anyone aged 80 years and over who has not been invited for

an appointment, to contact their GP.