Health board calls on North Wales employers to allow people time off work to get booster jabs

All adults in Wales will be offered a booster vaccination by the end of January, the health board in North Wales has called on employers to allow people time off to get booster jabs

NHS Wales has already started to ramp up the booster programme and is currently administering more than 19,000 vaccinations a day.

Over the coming weeks, they aim to give more than 200,000 vaccines a week across Wales.

In an update on the vaccine rollout in North Wales, Betsi Cadawalder health board West Area Director Ffion Johnstone said that following recent announcements by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) “we now face the monumental challenge of doubling the number of people we vaccinate every week.”

To reach the target of giving all those aged over 18 a booster jab, will have to ramp up its current rate of around 25,000 to 30,000 per week to 50,000 to 60,000 by mid-January.

“Our teams are working incredibly hard to identify the additional vaccinators, support staff and facilities to make this happen.”

“We are confident that we can meet the Welsh Government’s target of offering the booster vaccine to all those who are eligible by the end of January.” Ffion Johnstone said.

She has called on employers in North Wales to give staff time off to get their booster jab, Ffion Johnstone said:

“We are also calling on employers to allow staff time off to attend COVID-19 vaccination appointments. ”

“Rescheduling appointments for people who are unable to get time off work can significantly slow down our efforts to protect people and make the best use of our resources.”

“We all need to work together to Keep Wales Safe this winter and employers across the region have an important role to play.”

We are continuing to invite people by letter and/or text message in chronological order at least three months after the date the second dose was given.

If you are aged under 65 please be patient and don’t call the health board or your GP surgery – you will be invited as soon as it is your turn.

If you are aged 65 or over and haven’t yet received an appointment letter please be assured that we haven’t forgotten about you.

The vast majority of those aged 65+ who haven’t yet received an appointment will be invited by letter and/or text message before the end of the month. However, if you have any concerns please call our COVID-19 Vaccination Contact Centre on 03000 840004.

The lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 2pm.

By mid-January, 90 per cent of eligible adults aged 40+ will have received an appointment invitation.

By the end of January all eligible adults aged 18+ will have been offered an appointment.

Once you receive an appointment, “please prioritise it like any other urgent hospital appointment. Only contact us to reschedule if this is unavoidable as it may be some time before you are offered an alternative date.” Ffion Johnstone said.

New text reminder service

Over the coming weeks a new two-way text appointment service will be introduced.

“The national service, developed by our colleagues in Digital Health and Care Wales, will enable people invited to a COVID-19 vaccination appointment by text message to rebook by text– if they are unable to attend their original appointment.”

“While this is a welcome introduction, we still urge people to stick to their original appointment wherever possible and only rearrange where this is unavoidable.” Ffion Johnstone said.