New vaccine hub for Newtown
A new Covid vaccine hub is to open in Newtown.
New hubs will help ensure that the over 80s age group in Powys will have largely been vaccinated by the end of the month, the member of the Welsh Parliament for Montgomeryshire, Russell George has been told.
He said that, while Wales is lagging behind the rest of the UK for the number of people getting a first dose of the vaccine Powys has the highest per cent, 3 per cent, in Wales.
"Prior to the meeting with Powys Teaching Health Board, I was concerned about the lack of information and clarity on the local rollout plans, and the pace of the roll out particularly for the over 80s age group but the CEO of the Health Board has assured me that the rollout for the over 80s has already begun."
He said that from the week starting January 18, the county’s three large vaccination centre hubs will expand to administer 4,000 vaccinations each week. The vaccination hub in Montgomeryshire is currently the Park Street Day Centre in Newtown but this will change to Maldwyn Leisure Centre from that date. Then, from the week commencing January 25, the county’s vaccination programme is set to increase to 8,000 vaccinations each week when GP-led clinics open across the county.
"At the moment, the vaccine programme is giving priority to care home residents & staff, people aged 80 and over, and frontline health and care workers. The next priority groups are people aged 75 and over, people aged 70 and over, and those deemed to be Clinically Extremely Vulnerable.
"As you can imagine, the Health Board are having to cope with a number of factors. My thanks go to those that are involved in the track and trace and the vaccination programme. The health board also asked for us to have patience with it as it works though the ongoing plans."
