Plaid MS Sioned Williams has called on Swansea Bay Health Board to open up Covid vaccination drop-in sessions for those needing their second dose.
The next scheduled Pfizer drop ins for ages 18 to 39 take place at the Bay Field Hospital on Saturday, July 24th and Sunday, July 25th and Saturday, July 31st and Sunday, August 1st. However, these are for first doses only.
Meanwhile, in other Health Board areas, including neighbouring Hywel Dda Health Board, drop-in sessions are open to both first and second vaccines.
Last week the First Minister, Mark Drakeford stated in the Senedd:
“in every part of Wales, there are now walk-in vaccination centres, where you don't need an appointment, you don't need to go through any complex procedure, you simply turn up and you get your vaccination. I'd urge all young people in Wales who have been made an offer of a first or second dose of the vaccine to take up that offer.”
Sioned Williams stated:
“We have now entered the third wave of this pandemic and it is vitally important that we get as many people fully vaccinated as quickly as possible.
“Vaccination teams across Wales have done a fantastic job of getting such a high percentage of the Welsh population vaccinated already, but we need to ensure that we get as many young people fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Other Health Boards such as Hywel Dda are offering both first and second vaccines within their mass drop-in sessions, and I fail to understand why Swansea Bay Health Board do not follow suit.
“There should be consistency across Wales. I am sure that young people in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot would make use of the opportunity and I would call on the Health Board to open up these sessions to both first and second doses.
“The Welsh Government have a role here too to ensure that all Health Boards are following similar principles when it comes to their vaccination programmes. Only last week, the First Minister stated that this was already happening across Wales, but it clearly isn’t happening within the Swansea Bay Health Board area, and this needs to be looked at.”
