ANEURIN Bevan University Health Board has said there is no connection between not having a stand-by list for left over vaccines and the levels of coronavirus vaccine doses deemed unusable in Gwent.

Welsh Government figures show 0.9 per cent of coronavirus vaccines in the health board region are deemed not suitable for use - the highest rate in Wales.

Doses deemed unsuitable for use can include those which fail quality assurance on initial inspection, doses which fail quality assurance following preparation and vials/doses which expire during the vaccination session.

READ MORE:

As of April 27, around 468,500 vaccine doses have been administered in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board region.

During this time, there have been 4,003 doses unsuitable for use, the health board said, equating to 0.85 per cent.

"This does not have anything to do with not having a stand-by/reserve list," said a health board spokesperson.

"The health board has robust processes in place for managing the preparation of the vaccine as well as the flow of patients within our Mass Vaccination Centres.

"Within ABUHB there have been internal and external Quality Assurance processes for the preparation of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.

"Potential reasons that make doses unsuitable for use include:

  • Particulate matter contamination in the vial. Our Pharmacy team undertake a visual inspection prior to and following the dilution of the vaccine. If particulates are observed in the vial, then this will be rejected in accordance with the conditions of authorisation of the vaccine.
  • Storage/Temperature excursions.
  • Equipment failure (e.g. syringes)."

Giving an update on the progress of the vaccination programme, a spokesperson for the health board said: “We are really pleased with the progress of our vaccination roll out and the uptake rates in the health board area.

“We have now vaccinated 82.7 per cent of the 40 to 49 age group and 44 per cent of the 30 to 39 age group have received the first dose of the vaccine.

“If a Covid vaccine appointment is missed for any reason, we have a procedure in place for the booking centre to contact people who are eligible and within the JCVI priority list at short notice via telephone to fill that appointment.

“We can also assure people that if an appointment is missed, they will be re-invited for an appointment at a later date.”