THE rollout of the coronavirus vaccine is not the end of the road in the fight against the disease, according to first minister Mark Drakeford.

Mr Drakeford, speaking at the Welsh Government's coronavirus update briefing earlier, said that there was still a long way to go to return to the way we were before the pandemic took hold.

He said that while vaccinations "play a part", it was not a signal for those who receive it to abandon all they have been doing these past months.

"We will need to have a discussion about what a vaccine means, what freedom it can give you," he said.

"It may lead some to think that because you are vaccinated you do not need to take any precautions.

"This is not the case.

"The virus is still at large."

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Mr Drakeford said that now, however, the focus was on "getting as many vaccinated as fast as we can".

He said: "Simply having the vaccine alone will not be enough to go back to the way were were before the pandemic."

There have been claims that Wales has lagged behind the rest of the UK in the rollout of the vaccines up to this point.

However, Mr Drakeford explained that this was because it was not sensible to "use it all in week one".

"There are 50,000 of the Oxford vaccine and the rest are the Pfizer vaccine," he said.

"The Pfizer vaccine has to last four more weeks.

"You cannot use it all, it must last until February.

"That is why we have not used it all in week 1.

"We expect a significant upswing in the Oxford vaccine, and we will use all of that as it is an easier vaccine to use."