Vaccination newsletter 16th February 2021

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly newsletter, 16th February 2021, which brings you up to date with where we are with the roll out of the Covid vaccines across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Latest figures

Please note: Figures correct as of 10pm on Monday, February 15th, 2021. These figures are for the Swansea Bay University Health Board area, not the whole of Wales.

1^st dose: 90,668

2^nd dose: These start today at the Bay Field Hospital Mass Vaccination Centre for frontline healthcare staff.

Vaccinated by GP practices: 31,008

Running total: 90,668

Latest news

Vexed about vaccines? Troubled by Test Trace and Protect? Then let us know by taking part in our survey. It should take no more than five minutes and is completely anonymous. The survey is a partnership project between Safer Swansea, Safer Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot Black Minority Ethnic Community Association and ourselves, the health board.

By telling us how you feel we can make sure we address your concerns in a way that suits you.

Go to this page to take part in the Test, Trace Protect and Covid-19 vaccine survey.

We’ve started vaccinating people in the 69 to 65 age group. These vaccinations are being done at our Mass Vaccination Centres at Canolfan Gorseinon and The Orangery, Margam with the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. For the time being, we’re keeping the Bay Field Hospital MVC for the administration of second doses of Pfizer. These are going to healthcare workers who had their first doses at the start of the vaccination programme in December.

At Gorseinon and Margam we’re starting with those aged 69 first and working backwards. You may also hear this age group called JCVI priority group 5. If you are aged 65 upwards and haven’t yet been contacted, expect an appointment from us shortly.

And if you have mobility issues and worry about getting there, remember there is now free transport.

To arrange this: Swansea residents can contact: 07538 105244 or amymeredithcovid@scvs.org.uk

Neath Port Talbot residents can contact: 07494 966448 or covid19discharge@nptcvs.org.uk

What about carers and people with underlying health conditions? We have begun working through our plans to start vaccinating this group, also known as JCVI priority group 6, within the next few weeks.

The fine detail is yet to be worked out. However, those in group 6 are very likely to fall into the groups listed below, which have been recognised by the JCVI (Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation), although this is not an exhaustive list and may be amended.

Please be patient. We will release more details when we have them.

Please note the list below is a shortened version of that published by the Government in the Green Book. Go to this page to access the full Green Book chapter and see page 10. We will also soon be adding the full list to our health board website.

• Chronic respiratory disease – including those with asthma that requires continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission, COPD and other severe lung conditions
• Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
• Chronic kidney disease – stages 3, 4 and 5, including transplantation
• Chronic liver disease 
• Chronic neurological disease – Stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA). Conditions in which respiratory function may be compromised due to neurological disease (e.g. polio syndrome sufferers). This includes individuals with cerebral palsy, severe or profound learning disabilities, Down’s Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and related or similar conditions; or hereditary and degenerative disease of the nervous system or muscles; or severe neurological disability.
• Diabetes mellitus – Any diabetes
• Immunosuppression – Either due to disease or treatment.
• Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
• Morbid obesity
• Severe mental illness - Individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment.
• Adult carers - Those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.
• Younger adults in long-stay nursing and residential care settings

Please remember this is a shortened version of the list in the Green Book. Go to this page to access the full Green Book chapter and see page 10.

Adult carers of children: We are awaiting further guidance and will issue updates as soon as possible.

Vaccine supply. Our area is also affected by variations and some reduction in vaccine supply, which you may have heard about in the news.

This is a planned and expected change that is affecting the whole of the UK. It is because manufacturers are changing their production processes so they can make larger amounts of vaccine.

We knew this was coming and have planned for it so vaccinations continue.

We expect vaccine supply to increase in March.

Improvements in the number 51 free bus service to the Bay Field Hospital: The dedicated free shuttle bus service helping residents in Swansea to get to the Bay Hospital for their vaccinations has a new route taking passengers much closer to the door.

The 51 service has been running between Swansea’s main bus station and selected stops along the way to the MVC at the hospital on Fabian Way since the start of the month.

It will now drop-off and collect passengers much closer to the vaccination centre entrance while also still calling at the blood test clinic at the entrance to the hospital site for those attending blood tests.

The service is funded by Swansea Council and operated by First Cymru.

In groups 1 to 4 and still haven’t heard? We may have started group 5, but we’re not leaving anyone behind.

If you are in this group and believe you have not heard from us or your GP surgery, please contact us in one of the following ways:

• If you are 80 or over or classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV), that is people who have received a shielding letter, contact your GP practice UNLESS you are a CEV patient of either the University or Dyfed Road practices, in which case you should have received a text message or phone call by now inviting you for vaccination at one of our Mass Vaccination Centres (MVC).

• If you are between 70 and 79 email SBU.COVIDbookingteam@wales.nhs.uk
• Frontline social care staff can email westglamsocialcarevaccinations@swansea.gov.uk
• Frontline health board staff should contact  their line manager.

That’s all for this week. Many thanks for reading.

We’ll catch up again next week.