PEOPLE over 35 are being invited to drop-in to their nearest vaccination centre in west Wales to receive the booster jab.

Hywel Dda Health Board has announced this afternoon that anyone over the age of 35 can now call into a mass vaccination centre and get the jab, but those who have received a scheduled appointment are being urged to keep it.

There was confusion last week with the official advice being that only over 50s could get a booster jab without an appointment at mass vaccination centres across Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, but several younger people had attended the centres and received the third vaccination.

In a statement this afternoon, health chiefs said: “If you haven’t yet received an appointment, Hywel Dda University Health Board now invites anyone over the age of 35 years, plus those in a higher priority group, to drop-in to a Mass Vaccination Centre (MVC) for their vaccination.

“This will help to meet the ambitious aim of offering all eligible adults a booster by 31 December and maximise the number of vaccinations available.

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

This will be done through selected GP practices and pharmacies and additional support will be given for housebound and care home residents.

The health board says that scheduled appointments will continue to be issued at an increased pace. This may be by letter and/or a text message. A Hywel Dda spokesperson said: “We are aiming to contact everyone eligible for a booster by Friday 31 December with an offer.

“Due to the current time of year and challenges with appointments reaching people, we are offering drop-ins phased by age prioritisation.

“We understand people have had difficulty in contacting us by phone or email to cancel or rearrange their appointment. In response, the health board has increased the number of call and email handlers. We will continue to support people to attend for a vaccination at a time and day which suits them but in order to ensure we are reaching everyone with their offer by the 31 December, re-arranged appointments will be made into the first few weeks of January.”

Booster jabs are also being offered at mass vaccination centres without appointment to anyone aged 16 and over who received their second or third dose at least 13 weeks ago who either works in a care home, is a frontline health or social care worker, is an unpaid carer, lives with someone who is immunosuppressed, or is considered at risk of Covid-19 infection.

Hywel Dda says the groups eligible to drop-in for boosters will be expanded as soon as possible.

First doses will be available at all mass vaccination centres except Cwm Cou for drop-ins for anyone aged 12 and over (over 16s only at drive-through at the Showground in Carmarthen).

Second doses will be available at all mass vaccination centres except Cwm Cou for drop-ins for anyone aged 16 and over if it has been at least eight weeks since their first dose and those aged 12 to 15 are asked to wait for an appointment or drop-in if it has been more than 12 weeks since the first dose was received (over 16s only at drive-through at the Showground in Carmarthen).

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

Tenby MVC will accept drop-ins between 10am and 6pm on the set days it is open. Drop-ins at the drive-through showground in Carmarthenshire will be between 11am and 8pm. Please note Cwm Cou MVC, is doing scheduled appointments only due to social distancing and traffic management safety issues. Please do not arrive early for drop-in sessions.

The MVCs open seven days a week for drop-ins for eligible groups are:

• Aberystwyth - Thomas Parry Library, Llanbadarn Campus, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3AS (closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January. Open until 4pm on Monday 27 December)

• Carmarthen (walk-in) - Y Gamfa Wen, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, SA31 3EP (closed 24, 25, 26 December, closing 31 December at 2.30pm and closed 1 January)

• Carmarthen (drive through – over 16s only) - United Counties Showground, SA33 5DR (closed 24, 25, 26, 27, 31 December and 1 January)

• Haverfordwest - Pembrokeshire Archives, Prendergast, SA61 2PE (closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January. Closes 2.30pm on 27, 30 and 31 December)

• Llanelli - Unit 2a, Dafen Industrial Estate, Heol Cropin, SA14 8QW (closes at 5pm on 18 December and at 4.30pm on Monday 27 and Thursday 30 December. Closed 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January)

Tenby MVC (Tenby Leisure Centre, Marsh Road, SA70 8EJ) will be open for drop-ins between 10am and 6pm on the following days in December:

• Friday 17 to Sunday 19 December; Tuesday 21 to Thursday 23 December; and on Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 December.

• Closed on the weekends of 24 to 26 December and 31 December to 2 January.

Cwm Cou MVC (Ysgol Trewen, Cwm-Cou, SA38 9PE) is offering scheduled appointments only, due to social distancing and traffic management safety issues.