More booster vaccination clinics could open on Welsh/Shropshire border health bpard says

Chirk Councillor, Frank Hemmings and the area's Welsh parliament member, Ken Skates have welcomed news that local venues are being opened to avoid people having to go to Wrexham for their Covid booster jabs.

File photo dated 19/02/21 of a Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine being prepared. All 16 and 17-year-olds in England will be offered their first Covid jab by August 23, under a new target set by the Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who has said offering young people the vaccine by this date will allow those teenagers in that age bracket the two weeks necessary to build maximum immunity before returning to school in September. Issue date: Sunday August 15, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Vaccines. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board had warned that some residents may have to travel further for their third dose of the vaccine because of the unprecedented pressureb on primary health care.

Councillor Hemmings had been told that people were being told to travel to the Catrin Finch Centre at Wrexham's Glyndwr university a 10 mile one way trip.

Now the health board says more local venues will be used over the coming weeks – with Plas Madoc Leisure Centre the first this week.

“It’s not an easy round trip for the older and more vulnerable people who are being prioritised for booster jabs, particularly if they’re having to use public transport, so I’m glad Ken has been able to get this reassurance for local people," Councillor Hemmings said.

Mr Skates the Clwyd South member of the Senedd said:"It's pleasing to hear that the health board will soon be rolling out booster jabs to more local venues.

“Offering and administering a third round of vaccinations is going to be another big challenge for the health board, but given the way they have already delivered the first two doses I think we can all have full confidence that we’re in good hands.”

The health board is currently contacting those over the age of 50 and in the initial nine priority groups and inviting them to come forward for their third dose of the vaccine.

Jo Whitehead, chief executive of the health board said: “We are putting in place and activating plans to offer vaccinations at multiple locations to provide ease of access to local residents.

“However, we did not want to delay offering booster vaccinations for the highest priority groups.

“For Chirk and surrounding areas, Plas Madoc Leisure Centre will restart vaccination activity on October 19. Sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays on alternate weeks through to December for residents registered with the four practices in South Wrexham that haven’t signed up to offer boosters in practice - Llangollen, Chirk, Gardden Rd and Hanmer. Appointment letters for these sessions have started to be sent out.

“Anyone receiving a letter who already has an appointment at Catrin Finch can call to rebook into Plas Madoc if they prefer.

“As the booster programme progresses, once the vaccination work in care homes and for housebound individuals has been completed, we will use local case rate and vaccination uptake data to guide deployment of mobile vaccination units to areas in North Wales.”