GP practices throughout Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are now offering COVID-19 vaccinations to priority groups in the community.
All 60 practices across the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board area are inviting residents aged 80 and over to receive the vaccination at the local practice, with those over 75 due to also be invited shortly.
The practices are playing an important role in contributing to the Health Board’s Mass Vaccination Programme, with the aim to keep the population of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan safe.
The Health Board has committed to offering the first dose of the vaccine to everybody in the JCVI priority groups one to four by mid-February, dependent upon vaccine supply to the region.
It means that residents and staff in care homes for older adults, frontline healthcare staff, those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and everybody aged 70 and above can expect to be invited to receive their first dose of the vaccination within a few short weeks.
Everyone who is eligible for a vaccination will be contacted directly by their GP Practice or the Health Board to invite them to receive their vaccine, so there is no need for people to make contact. Provisions for those patients who are housebound are also being identified and these individuals will again receive direct contact.
Anna Kuczynska, Clinical Board Director for Primary, Community and Intermediate Care and a practising GP in the community, said: “GP Practices throughout Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan have shown a great appetite for supporting the rollout of the Mass Vaccination Programme, and we are pleased that they are all now on board and able to add a further, important dimension to our plans.
“We are also working closely with further primary care partners and contractors including dentists, optometrists and community pharmacists across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan who are ready to support us to vaccinate the community at pace.”
Fiona Kinghorn, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s Executive Director of Public Health and Executive lead for the Mass Vaccination Programme, said: “We are delighted to have all 60 GP practices throughout Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan on board with our Mass Vaccination programme, and would like to thank each of them for their enthusiasm and flexibility in contributing to our efforts.
“The practices will supplement our Mass Vaccination Centres and Mobile Vaccination Teams, enabling us to deliver the vaccine quickly to our priority groups, through a range of avenues to suit their needs.”
The Health Board has so far delivered over 30,000 vaccinations since the start of the Mass Vaccination programme on 8 December 2020, and preparations are underway for rolling the vaccine out to further cohorts.
Mrs Kinghorn added: “We have made excellent progress in rolling out this vaccine so far, and remain well on track to offer the first dose of the vaccine to everyone in the JCVI priority groups one to four as quickly as possible.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to vaccinate the population of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. I would like to thank those waiting for their vaccination for their patience, and would urge everybody to continue observing a two-metre social distance, washing their hands regularly, and wearing a face mask as required. These are important considerations which we continue to need to protect our population.’’
The Health Board is also on target to open a further two Mass Vaccination Centres in Pentwyn and Barry in early February to increase the delivery to the local population. Care Home residents and staff are also on target to have received their vaccinations by the end of January.
