Powys GP surgeries will start vaccination process next week
All GP practices across Powys will begin calling people aged 75-80 to book Covid vaccination appointments next week with appointments in GP-led clinics will begin before the end of the month.
At the moment the vaccinations are underway at the county's three mass vaccination centres in Newtown, Builth Wells and Bronllys. By the end of next week every patient aged 80 or over will have received a letter from the health board with their appointment at one of the centres or inviting them to book one.
Powys Teaching Health Board said all 16 GP practices across the county will join in next week, bringing vaccination clinics to communities across the county.
"A spokesman said: "In order to make the process of vaccination as smooth as possible, we ask people not to call their GP about Covid vaccination at this time. GP staff will be phoning people to make these appointments as quickly as they are able. Please help them to do this by not calling unnecessarily."
He said that by the end of Januar the health board will have invited almost 9,000 people in Powys aged 80 or over to have their vaccination, an additional 900 people living in care homes in Powys will have received it along with more than 5,000 health and social care staff.
"Invitations will have begun to more than 7,500 people aged 75-80 for vaccination by their GP and e will be giving almost 8,000 Covid vaccinations per week in the county.
"In line with the UK-wide four nation approach, second doses of vaccination will be booked for 11 weeks after the first.
"It is important to continue to follow the regulations on social distancing even after you have been vaccinated. The vaccine will reduce your chance of becoming seriously ill, but we do not know yet whether it will stop you from catching and passing on the virus. So it is vital that everyone contributes to follow the guidance to protect themselves and others.
"Please do not contact your GP, pharmacy, health board, hospital or local authority for an appointment unless you have been contacted to invite you to an appointment. Patients are being contacted in the priority order identified by the UK's independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation."
