"Don't Bale on us now – get your vaccine!"
Main image: Dr Keith Reid, Director of Public Health at Swansea Bay University Health Board.
“Don’t Bale on us now. It’s time for unvaccinated people to come forward for their first dose and for those who have had their first dose to make sure they have their second.”
That’s the message from Swansea Bay University Health Board’s Director of Public Health Dr Keith Reid as Wales prepares to take on tough new opponents both on and off the pitch.
It has been confirmed that Wales is at the beginning of a third Covid peak being driven by the highly-transmissible Delta variant, which evidence suggests presents double the risk of hospitalisation compared to the Alpha or Kent variant.
On Monday, Wales’ deputy chief medical officer Dr Chris Jones said there were 579 confirmed cases of the Delta variant in Wales, up from 488 on Thursday. It has now led to 12 hospital admissions. Half of those admitted had not had a Covid vaccination.
The highly-transmissible Delta variant.
Credit: Adobe Stock
Emerging evidence shows that two doses of a Covid vaccination greatly reduces the risk of hospitalisation from the strain, which was first identified in India.
“This makes it imperative that everyone who is eligible takes full advantage of the ongoing vaccination programme here in Swansea Bay,” said Dr Reid.
“While hospital admissions are still relatively low and vaccination rates are very good across Swansea Bay and the rest of Wales, we don’t want to pay the penalty of being complacent and allow the Delta variant to spread widely in our communities.
“It’s time to show Covid the red card. I urge those aged 39 and under who are yet to have their first dose to take full advantage of our next Pfizer drop-in sessions on Friday and Saturday between 9am and 7.30pm at the Bay Field Hospital Mass Vaccination Centre.”
More than 1,100 people were vaccinated over our last two drop-in sessions on Friday, June 18th and Saturday, June 19th.
As of 11.30am today, Swansea Bay University Health Board has given a grand total of 458,043 vaccines – first and second doses.
Dr Reid said: “Regarding second doses, we will now be offering people aged 40 and over their second vaccine earlier than before. You don’t need to call, we will send out second dose appointments at the correct time.”
We'll be showing the Wales v Denmark match on a big screen TV, just as we did when Wales played Turkey in Baku, pictured.
SBUHB
Wales’ clash with Denmark in the last 16 at the Euros on Saturday will be shown on a big screen TV at our Bay Field Hospital Mass Vaccination Centre.
It means people can spend their standard 15-minute wait after vaccination watching the action from Amsterdam, socially distanced of course.
“Just like Gareth Bale and the rest of the squad, we need good defence against what’s coming our way and in the case of the Delta variant and coronavirus that means vaccination,” added Dr Reid.
- First-dose Pfizer drop-in sessions are being held at the Bay Field Hospital Mass Vaccination Centre between 9am and 7.30pm on Friday, June 25th and Saturday, June 26th.
- The Bay Field Hospital MVC is off Ffordd Amazon, Jersey Marine, SA1 8QB.
- Please don’t drop into these sessions if you are waiting for your second dose. Second dose appointments are automatically sent out when due.
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