HEALTH chiefs are to offer walk-in jabs across the Hywel Dda region and work with local GPs and pharmacies in a bid to invite every adult for a booster by the end of the year.

Giving an update on the ambitious plans to offer every adult a booster jab before 31 December, Hywel Dda University Health Board, which covers Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, has outlined its plans.

Drop-in vaccinations will be phased in according to prioritisation in some mass vaccination centres at allocated times and subject to capacity, with scheduled appointments taking priority.

Those eligible to drop-in from Wednesday 15 December are everyone who had their second or third primary dose 13 or more weeks ago and aged 50 and over, or aged 16 and over and works in a care home or frontline health or social care; is an unpaid carer; is considered at risk of Covid-19 infection (JCVI priority groups 4 and 6); or lives with someone who is immunosuppressed.

Chief Executive, Steve Moore, said: “I am incredibly proud of all our vaccination staff, both those the public meet at the centres and everyone behind the scenes, who have worked tirelessly after a year of vaccinating seven days a week.

“I’d like to acknowledge the support offered from primary care, volunteers, partners and staff and volunteers whom assist the programme and have responded to our call for assistance.

“I also thank the public for stepping forward to accept vaccination and for those of you who have been so patient and thankful. The next few weeks will be incredibly challenging for all involved and I’m asking our communities to please be kind to our staff and follow our advice on what to do.

“Now is the time for us to work together to ensure as many of our population receive the vaccine they are eligible for as quickly as possible.”

The health board’s focus has been ensuring people continue to be given an appointment in priority order based on age and vulnerability.

The health board is working with GP practices, to bring on board any that are able to deliver more booster vaccines locally.

This has to be carefully balanced against the practice’s ability to maintain the delivery of core services.

Health chiefs also have a number of community pharmacies who have committed to participating in the programme and they will locally publicise the times of their clinics for booster delivery.

Please do not call your GP surgery or community pharmacy to ask about the COVID-19 vaccine. If your GP practice is participating in the booster programme they will contact you directly and offer you an appointment, please accept it if they do.

Housebound patients will be supported by local GP practices, where their staffing allows, whilst in other areas our community vaccination team will arrange to visit and offer vaccination.

Care homes are being contacted urgently to ensure all residents are offered a booster and will be supported by GP practices and our community vaccination team.

Scheduled appointments will continue to be issued at an increased pace. This may be by letter and/or a text message. The aim is to contact everyone eligible for a booster with an appointment by Friday 31 December. Due to the current time of year and challenges with appointments reaching people, the board is offering drop-ins phased by age prioritisation.

People who choose to drop-in are advised that booked appointments will be given priority and they should be prepared to potentially experience long waits, possibly outdoors, or be turned away if there are health and safety concerns at the centre. Verbal abuse or aggression towards any centre staff or volunteers will not be tolerated.

Those with booked appointments are asked to arrive no more than 10 minutes before their appointment time and make themselves known on arrival to a volunteer or member of staff.

Most participating mass vaccination centres will make every effort to accommodate eligible drop-ins between 11am and 8pm.