More than 27,000 people in Ceredigion have now received a coronavirus vaccine dose, latest figures have revealed, with more than 3,800 already having received the full two doses.

The latest vaccine figures from Hywel Dda Health Board show that 27,736 first doses have been administered in Ceredigion as of 17 March – representing 38.2 per cent of the population.

Second doses have been given to 3,812 residents.

In Hywel Dda as a whole, which covers Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, 39.5 per cent of the population have now received their first vaccine dose and 5.9 per cent have received a full course.

In its latest vaccine bulletin, the health board said: “We are really pleased that we have been able to protect our community by providing the first vaccine dose to more than a third of our population, the second highest rate for this figure in Wales.

“In recent weeks, the health board’s mass vaccination centres have focused on delivering second vaccine doses to care home, health and social care workers in priority groups 1 and 2 using the Pfizer vaccine.

“Local recorded figures show 61.5 per cent of care home staff and 77.4 per cent of health and social care workers are fully vaccinated.

“Our GPs are also working hard to provide our communities with the vaccine.

“They are currently offering first vaccination to our largest priority group (group 6) of 16-64-year-olds with underlying health conditions and unpaid carers.

“GPs will offer second vaccination doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine within 8 to 12 weeks of the first dose to our population, starting with adult care home residents, and over 80s.

“Once all those in the priority groups 1 to 9 have been offered their first dose of the vaccine, as well as continuing with the second dose programme, NHS Wales will move on to those aged 40-49.

“This group will start from 19 April and we will announce further information closer about where this group will receive their vaccine closer to the time.”