Covid vaccination centres to open for Newport and Gwent

While locations have not yet been decided on, multiple visits have been paid to possible centres to determine their suitability.

The region currently only has one vaccination centre – at a Torfaen Leisure Trust site in Cwmbran.

A spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “As a health board, our intent is to vaccinate as many eligible people as quickly and as safely as possible.

Cwmbran vaccination centre

The vaccination centre in Torfaen on the first day of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine roll-out in Gwent last month

"This includes using community venues to make the vaccine as accessible as possible for everyone who needs it, therefore additional mass vaccination centres will open throughout January, across the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area.

“A number of potential mass vaccination centres have been visited across Gwent and their suitability assessed against a variety of criteria, including whether a venue is appropriate for clinical purposes; accessible location for the population; whether the venue is on a gritted route and accessible by car, walking and public transport; in addition to practicalities such as access to drinking water, toilets and heating; and whether a venue can accommodate a one way flow with separate entrance and exit whilst ensuring adherence to social distancing guidelines.

“Venues have also had numerous risk assessments undertaken and have been appraised by a number of health board staff, including the fire service, health and safety and security, and Gwent Police.”

You can only attend a vaccination centre if you have an appointment slot

As part of its plan to roll out the vaccine, the health board has also stated it will be delivering doses of the jab with mobile vaccination units.

Mobile units will be used to help distribute the vaccine to those residents across Gwent that are unable to get to a vaccination centre.

A spokesman added: “We have had many logistical challenges to overcome, but what remains of paramount importance is to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible, but as safely as possible – for the population and staff involved.”

On Monday health minister Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government would not publicly be setting targets for the number of vaccinations it wants to see administered in the coming weeks.

In the first three weeks since the Pfizer vaccine was approved, 35,000 vaccines were administered, and Mr Gething added 22,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine were available for the start of its Welsh rollout on Monday.