Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is opening six new community vaccination centres (CVCs) to help deliver this autumn’s COVID-19 booster programme.
The Health Board currently has three CVCs in Llantrisant, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend. Those three are being handed back to their local authority owners, and will close as vaccination centres today (Friday, August 12). In the case of Llantrisant and Merthyr Tydfil, both of which are leisure centres, it means they can now be returned for the community to use for their original purpose.
The six new CVCs are in Health Board buildings, and open next week (Monday, August 15). They are in Dewi Sant Health Park (Pontypridd), Ysbyty George Thomas (Treorchy), Keir Hardie Health Park (Merthyr Tydfil), Ysbyty Cwm Cynon (Mountain Ash), Glanrhyd Hospital (Bridgend) and Maesteg Community Hospital (Maesteg).
All six have been carefully chosen to ensure the whole Cwm Taf Morgannwg area is covered evenly, and it is hoped their locations will mean patients do not have to travel as far when they come forward for their autumn booster appointments.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB’s assistant director of planning, Julie Keegan, leads on the COVID-19 vaccination programme for the Health Board and said: “I want to thank our local authority partners, for allowing us to use our three community vaccination centres. We would not have been able to deliver this huge vaccination programme without their support. It has been invaluable and appreciated.
“Moving forward, our six new community vaccination centres will be instrumental in delivering the autumn booster programme, which is due to start next month.
“They are open from Monday, and will be accepting walk-ins alongside appointments.”
Walk-ins will only be available until the autumn booster programme begins (last walk-ins will be August 31). After that date, all vaccinations will be by appointment only.
The COVID-19 autumn booster will be available to:
- residents and staff working in care homes for older adults
- frontline health and social care workers
- all those aged 50 and over
- those aged 5 to 49 years in clinical risk groups, including pregnant women and household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- Carers aged 16 to 49.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB will being sending out appointments to everyone eligible for an autumn booster, with the plan to begin vaccinating in September.
The flu vaccine will once again be available to all those at risk, including adults aged 50 and over in Wales, children between the ages of 2 and 16, frontline health and social care staff, including those working in care homes and people aged 6 months to 49 years in a clinical risk group.
The flu jab will not be offered in Cwm Taf Morgannwg’s CVCs.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg’s new community vaccination centres are:
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- Dewi Sant Health Park, Albert Road, Pontypridd, CF37 1LB
- Ysbyty George Thomas, Ffordd Cwmparc, Treorchy, CF42 6YG
- Glanrhyd Hospital, Tondu Road, Bridgend, CF31 4LN
- Keir Hardie Health Park, Aberdare Road, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1BZ
- Ysbyty Cwm Cynon, New Road, Mountain Ash, CF45 4DG
- Maesteg Hospital, Neath Road, Maesteg, CF34 9PW
- All six are open 9:30 – 5:30, Monday – Friday for walk-in vaccinations until August 31.
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB will send out appointment letters to everyone eligible for an autumn booster.
- People who are eligible for their flu jab, should receive that vaccine from the same place as previous years. It will not be given at the vaccination centres with the autumn booster.
