Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine clinics to be set up in Wales

Clinics will be set up for people over 80 to have their Covid jabs once the next vaccine is approved for use, the Welsh Government has said.

Priority for the first vaccine has been health and social care workers, care home residents and staff, and over-80s.

More than 25,000 people in Wales had been vaccinated up to 22 December.

Sarah Gilbert, lead researcher for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine said earlier this week its jab was "not too far off" being given the go-ahead by regulators.

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So far, only the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine has been approved for use in the UK which became the first country in the world to start using it.

Another vaccine, Moderna, is also seeking approval from UK regulators.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: "Many people over 80 would like to have vaccination at their local primary care practice.

"We are making arrangements for clinics to be held in practices using the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, once this has been approved for use."

Meanwhile, a testing centre is being set up in Newport to provide more appointments over the Christmas period.

It will be located at the overflow car park at Tredegar House.

A number of factors meant the rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to care homes was more difficult than elsewhere.

The vaccine needs to be stored at -70C , leading to concerns over its stability when taking it outside vaccination centres.

The Welsh Government said discussions took place with the manufacturer about transporting it safely before staff were trained and it was then taken to care homes with more than five residents.

However, these were all close to hospital pharmacies.

It has said it will be rolled out more widely in the coming weeks.