Vaccination newsletter 6th of September 2021

Close up of a vial labelled Covid vaccine held between two fingers on a gloved hand.

Summer may be coming to an end but our Covid-19 vaccination programme certainly isn’t. We’re still working hard to ensure that everyone age 16 and over gets their Covid-19 vaccine in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

While our drop-in sessions and booked appointments continue, our vaccination team is currently taking the Immbulance on tour to popular locations in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot – more information on this below.

In other news, we are currently seeking to recruit to several different roles in the vaccination programme. These fixed term or secondment posts ranging from band 2 to band 7 are a great opportunity for anyone who would like to support and provide essential vaccines to our communities.

Also included in this edition is information on third doses for immunosuppressed people; vaccinations for 12 to 15 year olds; and our latest advice on booster doses more generally.

Latest figures

Please note: Figures correct as of 5.44pm on Sunday, September 5th. These figures are for the Swansea Bay University Health Board area, not the whole of Wales.

1^st dose: 285,931

2^nd dose: 263,155

Doses given in GP practices (first and second doses): 123,570

Running total (1^st and 2^nd doses): 549,086

Latest news

The Immbulance: end of summer tour

Last week, we took the Immbulance - our mobile vaccination unit - across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot to help residents age 16+ get their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Following the success of these drop-in sessions, we’ve now extended this ‘end of summer tour’ into this week too (week beginning 6^th September 2021).

Dates and locations are to be announced imminently – keep an eye on our social media and the webpage linked below for announcements.

Go to this webpage for more information on how to attend the Immbulance sessions, and other drop-in sessions at our Mass Vaccination Centres.

Get vaccinated before that big event

Following the news that people in Swansea Bay have tested positive for Covid-19 following events like Boardmasters, we’re reminding everyone who is going to an event to get at least their first dose of vaccine before they head off.

Whether it’s a festival, wedding, family holiday or something else, getting your vaccination done can help protect you and the people you meet from Covid-19.

It’s never been easier to get a first or second dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Swansea Bay. In addition to booked appointments, we’re still holding regular first and second dose drop-ins at our Mass Vaccination Centres (timetable for this week below), and taking our Immbulance out to different areas across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot (more information on that above).

Go to this webpage for more information on how to book an appointment, or attend a drop-in session.

Remember, the vaccine can take a couple of weeks to take effect so get it done as soon as you can before you leave!

Drop-in sessions calendar

Planning on attending a vaccination drop-in? Our next scheduled sessions for adults are as follows:

Pfizer FIRST DOSE drop ins for ages 16+:

Thursday, September 9th - Time: 1pm - 7.30pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC
Friday, September 10th - Time: 1pm - 7.30pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC
Saturday, September 11th - Time: 9am - 7.40pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC
Sunday, September 12th - Time: 10am - 6pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC

Pfizer SECOND DOSE drop ins for ages 18+:

Thursday, September 9th - Time: 1pm - 7.30pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC
Friday, September 10th - Time: 1pm - 7.30pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC
Saturday, September 11th - Time: 9am - 7.40pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC
Sunday, September 12th - Time: 10am - 6pm - Bay Field Hospital MVC

Go to this page on our website for general guidance on attending these sessions.

Vaccine programme jobs

We are currently recruiting several different roles to our Covid-19 immunisation team. This is an exciting opportunity for individuals to support and provide these essential vaccines to Swansea Bay’s communities.

The jobs cover bands 2-7, and are available as fixed term contracts or secondment.

While the band 5, 6 and 7 jobs do require a higher level of clinical training, and registration, the band 3 Covid-19 immuniser roles are a good chance for anyone at the start of their healthcare career or on a gap year seeking to gain experience.

Go to the links below to access the job adverts on our website:

Third doses for immunosuppressed people

Following the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) announcement earlier this week, we will be administering a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccination for some individuals who are immunosuppressed, due to underlying health conditions or medical treatment.

We are now looking at the logistics of this roll out and will be in touch with relevant patients soon.

Go to this page on the UK Government’s website for more information

Booster vaccinations

We have received a few queries from members of the public recently around booster doses. At time of writing, we have had no new guidance from the JCVI on booster vaccinations - but we will let you know if/when that changes.

As noted in earlier newsletters, in anticipation that they will go ahead, Swansea Bay University Health Board and the whole of NHS Wales has been planning a booster campaign for some time against a range of possible scenarios.

Go this page on our website for our response to the most recent interim guidance issued by the JCVI in June.

Go to this page on the Welsh Government website for the full booster announcement, released in June.

Vaccines for 12 to 15 year olds

You might have seen over the weekend that the UK’s four chief medical officers have been asked to provide further advice on Covid-19 vaccination for young people aged 12 to 15 years old, following new guidance from the JCVI.

The JCVI has advised that this offer should be expanded to include more children aged 12 to 15, for example those with sickle cell disease or type 1 diabetes.

Go to this page on the UK Government’s website to read the full announcement.

As with a potential booster dose programme, a wider vaccination of young people scenario is something that we have planned for. If the national guidance changes, we will update you on how we will roll these vaccinations out as soon as we can.

Children aged 12 to 15 who have severe neuro disabilities, Down's syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities OR who live with an adult with a weakened immune system are already eligible for vaccination. We are contacting parents, guardians and carers directly to arrange appointments.

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