Covid: Half of young adults vaccinated in some areas of Wales

Greta Sion from Cardiff was thrilled to get her first vaccine before going back to university for a postgraduate degree

Almost half of young adults have received a first coronavirus vaccine in some Welsh health board areas.

In north Wales, 44% of people aged 18-29 have been given a first dose, while in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan 46% have been vaccinated.

An average of 36.6% of people under 30 in Wales have had the jab as the roll-out moves at different speeds across Welsh health boards.

One vaccine centre manager said young people were "coming in their droves".

The Welsh government has committed to offering every adult a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine by the end of July, after succeeding in offering all people in priority groups one to nine a first dose by the middle of April.

People under 30 have been offered the Pfizer jab as an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, after a link with rare blood clots was identified. That was extended to people under 40 last week.

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While vaccine centres have dealt with a greater number of people failing to attend appointments compared with the initial roll-out to more vulnerable groups, one vaccine manager said the data showed a "promising" commitment to being vaccinated among younger age groups.

"We have seen a really good uptake," said Tom Halpin, who manages the Deeside Rainbow Vaccination Centre at a leisure centre in Queensferry, Flintshire.

"It is really promising to see all the young people coming through the doors. We run seven days a week, so the fact that lots of them are taking time out of working days to come and receive their vaccine is really promising."

The Deeside centre is in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area which covers the whole of north Wales. Their latest update this week showed that 44% of people aged 18-29 had received a first dose of the Covid vaccine.

Other health board areas are also nearing half their young adult population, including the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board area where 46% of 18 to 29-year-olds have had the vaccine.

Mr Halpin said the vaccine uptake was part of a desire to "get back to normal" among younger age groups.

"There was definitely a huge sense of relief in the early days when we were on the higher priority groups, everybody was really relieved to receive their vaccine," he said.

"Now, I think people want to get back to normal, and the younger group are coming in their droves to help enable that to happen."

'This is the way out'

Greta Sion had her first vaccine last week. She was called for a jab after signing up to a reserve list in case of spare doses.

"I queued for a while but it was such an easy process. Within half an hour, I was done. I was vaccinated," said the 23-year-old currently working in Cardiff.

While she had seen stories about possible side effects, Ms Sion, who plans to study a postgraduate degree at Oxford University, said the benefits of getting the vaccine outweighed any risks.

"I didn't really question it," she said.

"I just thought, up until now, it has been such a success. I think that this is the way out of it, or at least the way towards a little bit more normality."

What does getting the vaccine mean for young people?

"I am hoping to do a postgraduate degree in September so it means I will be able to meet my fellow students, we will be able to socialise," said Ms Sion.

"It is what we have wanted for a year so hopefully this will just open so many doors, and we can see the restrictions being eased a bit more now."

Her friends are sharing selfies from vaccine centres and they are "excited" to get it.

"From my experience, I know all my friends have been quite excited to get it.

"We are asking each other 'Have you been vaccinated?' - we have all been very willing, and we want it.

"To know that this means that we and those around us are going to be safer - there is no doubt, we have been very willing and excited to get it."

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