Vaccination newsletter 20th of January 2022

Cases of the Omicron variant are falling as are the number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid.

This good news has led the Welsh Government to begin the process of relaxing restrictions from level 2 down to level 0 by the end of January.

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. It’s also too early to take our eye off the ball because infections in our communities remain at very high rates, even if they are coming down.

Health and social care services remain under serious pressure and, if we’ve learned anything during this pandemic, it’s that things can and do change very quickly.

By continuing to take up the offer of the vaccine alongside other protective measures like wearing face masks, we can have some influence over what happens next.

Data proves that vaccinations drastically reduce the risk of serious illness and hospitalisation with Covid.

1^st, 2^nd and booster doses are now widely available with no appointment needed or via a self-bookable appointment across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

There has never been a better opportunity to have your first vaccination or to get that missing dose.

We’re also about to start vaccinating those children aged 5 to 11 who are at increased risk from Covid due to a health condition or who live with someone whose immune system doesn’t work properly.

Details of all vaccination sessions can be found in the latest news section below.

 

 

Latest news

 

Vaccination of 5 to 11 year olds with underlying health conditions and those aged 5 to 11 who live with people who are immunosuppressed

Last month the independent group that advises the UK governments on vaccination, the JCVI, recommended that children aged 5 to 11 who are in a clinical risk group or who live with someone whose immune system doesn’t work properly (immunosuppressed) should be vaccinated.

• How will they be called for vaccination?

We will shortly send out appointment letters to the children who are classed as clinically at risk as defined in the Green Book, which has all the latest information on vaccination in the UK.

These letters will be followed up by a text message.

Those at risk are children with chronic respiratory disease, including poorly-controlled asthma, chronic heart, kidney and liver disease, disease of the digestive system, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, children with learning disabilities, diabetes and whose immune systems don’t work properly.

Go to the Green Book for the full list of clinical risk groups under table 4.

Those children who live with someone who is immunosuppressed will be identified via an online form, which will be rolled out shortly for parents and carers to fill in. We’ll post more details on our social media channels as soon as we have them.

• Where will 5 to 11 year olds be vaccinated?

For the comfort of the children we will be holding clinics in Singleton Hospital’s children’s outpatient department starting on Saturday, January 29^th.

• What vaccine will they receive?

They will receive a smaller than normal dose of the Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine. It’s about a third of the adult dose.

Most children will receive two doses, with 8 weeks in between.

A small number of children will need 3 doses.

• What about vaccine safety and side effects?

Trials and real-world data show it is safe for 5 to 11 year olds and offers protection against Covid. Minor side effects such as a sore arm have been reported. Some children may also feel unwell after the vaccination and  have a fever and flu-like symptoms. This is just the normal response of their immune system and should pass quickly.

Extremely rare reports of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) have been reported in young people following vaccination with mRNA Covid  vaccines. In the UK, the reporting rate for under 18s is 11 per 1 million doses.

In the US where over 300,000 first doses were given to 5 to 11 year olds, there were no reports of myocarditis noted (data to 26 November 2021)

 

• What about other 5 to 11 year olds?

The JCVI will issue advice in due course.

 

 

How to get your 1^st, 2^nd or booster dose:

 

• BOOK AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE for the Bay Mass Vaccination Centre, The Princess Royal Theatre and our containers (local vaccination centres) outside Pontardawe Leisure Centre and Swansea Guildhall, for this week and next week. Vaccinating ages 12 and over. Please note there is limited availability of appointments at the theatre.

Go to this page to book a Covid vaccination online.

• DROP IN at the Bay Mass Vaccination Centre, near Amazon, SA1 8QB,  any time between 9am and 8pm, 7 days a week, age 12 and over.

Go to this page for directions and details of free bus services to the Bay MVC from Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot.

• DROP IN to our containers (local vaccination centres) outside Pontardawe Leisure Centre and Swansea Guildhall up to and including Friday, January 28th, between 9am and 3.30pm, age 12 and up. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.
• DROP IN to one of 15 community pharmacies. FOR AGES 18 AND OVER.

All pharmacies are using Pfizer - except Vale of Neath which has Moderna.

This drop-in system replaces the previous community pharmacy selection form which is no longer available.

List of pharmacies providing drop-in Covid vaccinations, days and times:

Newbury Pharmacy, 35-37 Newton Road, Mumbles, Swansea, SA3 4BD, Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm.

Vale of Neath Pharmacy, Vale of Neath, Chain Road, Glynneath, Neath, SA11 5HP, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Penclawdd M Rees, Sea View, Penclawdd, Swansea, SA4 3YF, Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 12pm and Sunday 11am to 1pm.

Well - Urban Village, Unit 4, Urban Village, 215 High Street, Swansea, SA1 1NW, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - St Helens, 165 St Helens Road, Swansea, SA1 4DQ, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Beacon Centre for Health, The Beacon Centre for Health, SA1 8QY, Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Gendros (Ravenhill), 118 Ravenhill Road, Ravenhill, Gendros, Swansea, SA5 5AA, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Clase, 94 Rheidol Avenue, Clase, Swansea, SA6 7JS, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Morriston Woodfield, 103 Woodfield Street, Morriston, Swansea, SA6 8AS, Monday and Tuesday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - West Cross Alderwood Rd, Well – West Cross, 8 Alderwood Road, West Cross, Swansea, SA3 5JD, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Gorseinon, 2 Alexandra Road, Gorseinon, Swansea, SA4 4NW, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Sketty, 5 Dillwyn Road, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 9AQ, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Neath, 130 London Road, Neath, SA11 1HF, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Skewen, 37 New Road, Skewen, Neath, SA10 6UT, Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 4pm.

Well - Cwmllynfell, 56 Gwilym Road, Cwmllynfell, West Glamorgan, SA9 2GN, Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm.

 

Harbourside Health Centre booster clinic

Harbourside Health Centre is running a pre-bookable booster clinic for patients on Sunday, January 23rd.

Patients registered at the surgery can pre-book an appointment for their booster vaccination between 9am and 4.30pm.

Please only attend if you received your second Covid-19 vaccination more than 12 weeks ago and if you haven’t tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 28 days.

To book an appointment, please call 01792 481456 or 01792 702700.

Go to this page on our website for all the latest Covid vaccination sessions and information.

 

Latest Covid vaccination figures

Please note: Figures correct as of 1.30pm on Wednesday, January 19th. These figures are for the Swansea Bay University Health Board area, not the whole of Wales.

1^st dose: 301,656

2^nd dose: 279,851

3^rd dose (for the immunosuppressed): 6,878

Booster dose: 207,905

Running total (1, 2, 3 and booster doses): 796,290.

 

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