Message from Rhiannon

Published: 11 February 2021

Hello all,

Last week the Welsh Government announced that more than half a million people – including more than 112,000 frontline health and social care staff - had received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. A remarkable achievement, coming just 60 days after the first Covid-19 vaccination was given. 

As part of our staff vaccination programme, we have been following the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance and offering vaccination to staff in priority groups 1 – 4.

The latest uptake figures show that 1,003 members of staff have so far received their first vaccination, including 792 (81%) frontline staff.

If you are in priority group 1 – 4 and have not yet been offered a vaccination appointment, please email phw.CovidEnquiries@wales.nhs.uk

The progress made in vaccinating staff in the first four priority groups means that we are now able to offer vaccination to:
•    Staff in priority group 5 – all those 65 years of age and over
•    Staff in priority group 6 – all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions, and those in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
(A list of long-term health conditions included in this group is available on our website).

While we are able to identify those 65 and over, we do not hold the information needed to identify staff in priority group 6.

Therefore, if you meet the criteria you will need to make yourself known to us by emailing phw.CovidEnquiries@wales.nhs.uk

Once identified, staff in these groups will be contacted as soon as an appointment becomes available at a Public Health Wales or health board clinic. Some may also be invited by their GP.  I would encourage you to take the first appointment you are offered. 

As you’ll all be aware, each vaccine is incredibly valuable and – quite literally – we want to ensure we’re not wasting a drop. If you have an appointment but find you’re not able to make it, please let us know as soon as you’re able to so that we can offer it to someone else. 

We still have a long way to go, but the pace of the vaccine rollout in Wales offers hope of better times ahead.

Rhiannon