GWENT’s health board has reached the milestone of one million Covid-19 vaccines administered to residents.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board – which covers the old Gwent region of Newport, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent – became the second health board in Wales to reach the milestone today – Tuesday, November 9.

The health board began its mass vaccination programme almost a year ago and has offered both the first and second doses as well as the booster jab to all residents who are eligible for the vaccines.

A first dose has been offered to all aged 12 and above including the health and social care workers on the frontline.

107,140 of these vaccines are the booster doses which has seen more than 25,000 health, social and care home staff receive their third dose. More than 70 per cent of the over 80’s in the region have also received their booster since the booster programme started in September.

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The health board has seen the vaccinations rolled out at mass vaccination centres, GP surgeries, mobile vaccination centres and pharmacies.

Booster jabs are currently being given to those aged 65 and above and those eligible in line with the JCVI priority groups will be receiving theirs in due course.

Mererid Bowley, deputy director of public health and head of the mass vaccination programme at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has played their part in helping us deliver this incredible mass vaccination programme since its beginning last December.

“11 months later, we have reached this extraordinary milestone of giving 1 million vaccinations and we are so proud to have achieved this.

“We’d like to thank all Aneurin Bevan University Health Board residents who have already taken up the offer of a Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccinations save lives, so if you’re aged 12 and above and have yet to take up the offer of a vaccination, please come along to protect yourselves against this virus.”