Local vaccination centres will open when 40k vaccination doses available – this week North Wales gets 21,000 doses of AZ and 14 trays Pfizer

A regional plan outlining how Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is aiming to administer 184,000 vaccines to the top priority categories by mid-February.

So far a quarter of the initial priority groups – the over 80s and healthcare workers, have been vaccinated.

Yesterday we asked the health board for more detailed information on the vaccination rollout, and they gave a brief line as we published earlier.

Since then Wrexham.com has had sight of a fuller briefing document dated yesterday that notes: “In the past week, BCUHB administered the highest number of vaccinations of any Welsh Health Board, which equated to 22% of the cumulative number of first dose vaccines administered in Wales. This compares to 11% of the Welsh total 2 weeks ago.”

It also states that as of Friday 15th January, 27,762 people in north Wales had received their first COVID-19 Vaccination, with it noted: “We are confident that we have the capacity and the operational plan in place to meet the first target.

“This requires 184K vaccines to be administered before 14th February. The only limiting factor will be the access to vaccine supplies.”

Table 3 below from the document summarises the total number of people in category 1 -4 , which are currently prioritised for vaccination in North Wales.

A long list of “achievements to date” by the health board is also given, that includes the following information about Mass Vaccination Centres (MVCs) and Hospital Vaccination Centres (HVCs) as explained in the previous draft plan that we saw and published:

• Both AstraZeneca vaccine & Pfizer vaccines now in use across the region. Ratio is approximately 1:4 AZ to Pfizer.
• All three Mass Vaccination Centres (MVCs) now in use (Bangor, Llandudno & Deeside), in addition to three Hospital Vaccination Centres (HVCs) (Ysbyty Gwynedd, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Ysbyty Wrecsam Maelor)
• HVC’s working 12 hours a day, 3.5 days per week
• MVC’s 12 hours a day, 6 days during week commencing 19 th January, then 7 days per week from 26 th January
• We are on track to complete all care home staff and resident vaccination by the end of the month as per the WG target. Staff and residents at all care homes in the West region, except for one which is currently in the red category due to a COVID- 19 outbreak, have been vaccinated. Central and East Areas are on track.
• 16,840 BCUHB staff have either been vaccinated or have been offered the first dose appointment by 1 st Feb.

The report contains the below (and top image) map providing a visualisation of vaccinations provided by postcode of residence across the region. Larger circles represent a higher number of doses provided in the post code area.

The update looks forward, explaining this week they “plan to vaccinate another 30,000 people across north Wales” with the detail of supply mentioned, being 21,000 doses of AZ vaccine this week and 14 trays of the Pfizer vaccine. Although not mentioned in the report, previous data indicates a tray = 975 doses, so 13,650 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. In total that means North Wales is expecting 34,650 doses.

Supply issues limiting the rollout of the local vaccination centres is also mentioned, in line with the strategy and plan we previously published,  “….our Local Vaccination sites are not scheduled to open, however they can be mobilised within 7 days. They will only be required when the number of vaccines available to us reaches over 40,000 per week, and/or where GP Clusters request a vaccination site.”

Although all of the above is only public as we saw the update report, there is a plan to be more transparent in the future with the public, as it is noted “Information concerning local vaccination numbers will soon be published and regularly updated on our website.”