A North Wales health board has announced that from today they are bringing forward the second dose interval for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines from eight to six weeks.

People living in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board can now book a second dose online if six weeks have passed since their first dose.

Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery, made the announcement as the health board reached a significant milestone this week - fully vaccinating 400,000 eligible adults in North Wales.

"This new six-week interval is consistent with expert guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency," she said.

"It will enable us to be more efficient in our use of vaccine supply and ensure that more people receive the full of protection of both doses sooner. This is particularly important, given the huge increase in cases of the Delta variant over recent weeks."

New analysis from Public Health England shows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 96 per cent effective against hospitalisation after two doses, while Oxford-AstraZeneca is 92 per cent effective.

"Our minimum target is to vaccinate 75 per cent of people in each eligible age group with both doses, in order to achieve a level of community protection that will help us eventually return to normal life," Ms Harris said.

"First dose take up is at least 80 per cent in each age group above the age of 40, but take up among people aged 30-39 is currently 70 per cent. We need approximately 6,000 more people in this age group to come forward to get to 75 per cent.

"Seventy-eight per cent of 18-29 year olds have now had a first dose, and although there is more work to do in some communities, take up from younger people in many counties is amongst the highest in the UK."

The health board said when deciding whether or not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, it’s important people consider their chance of developing long-Covid, as well as their risk of becoming seriously ill in the first few weeks following infection.

"Any case of Covid-19, whether it’s asymptomatic, mild, severe, or hospitalised, incurs up to a 20 per cent risk of developing long-Covid, which can last for at least 12 weeks," Ms Harris added.

"Symptoms can include debilitating fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pains, sleeping difficulties and problems with memory and concentration.

"The best way to protect yourself against potential serious illness and the debilitating longer-term side effects of long-COVID is to have both doses of the vaccine."

If you cannot book online, call 03000 840004.

The lines can be very busy, so please be patient.