‘Stop lying and get behind our NHS’: Health Minister hits out over MS’s criticism of North Wales Covid vaccine roll out

The Welsh Health Minister has lashed out over a Senedd member’s criticism of the Covid vaccine roll out in North Wales, telling him to “stop lying and get behind our NHS”.

The Welsh Conservatives published a press release today claiming that the region was not receiving its fair share of the vaccine.

Clwyd West MS Darren Millar said despite Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board covering an area with 22% of the population of Wales, it had only received 17% of the vaccinations distributed by the Welsh Government up to January 8th.

Localised figures have since been shared by Public Health Wales which show the board has received 16,283 doses out of a total of 88,163 across Wales – approximately 18.5% of the national total and the highest amount in the whole country.

However, those figures only go up to the week ending the 10th of January so are already several days out of date.

The overall day on day latest vaccination figures are also out, with first doses now at 112,973 across Wales which represents a daily increase of 11,603.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething has reacted angrily to Mr Millar’s comments.

Posting on Twitter, he said: “The quote from Darren Millar is dishonest and divisive.

“North Wales isn’t being ignored. North Wales has it’s fair share of vaccines & Betsi Cadwaladr will increase delivery again this week.

“Darren knows all of this. Stop lying and get behind our NHS Darren.”

The quote from Darren Millar is dishonest and divisive. North Wales isn’t being ignored. North Wales has it’s fair share of vaccines & @BetsiCadwaladr will increase delivery again this week. Darren knows all of this. Stop lying and get behind our NHS Darren. https://t.co/5gRs8BIwu5

— Vaughan Gething (@vaughangething) January 14, 2021

Mr Millar has yet to respond to the comments. However, in the original press release, he said North Wales should have received around an extra 5,000 vaccines.

He said: “The Welsh Government made it clear that health boards would receive their vaccine stock allocations based on the priority group populations in their areas, but these figures suggest that this is not the case.

“North Wales, with one of the highest proportions of over 85-year-olds in Wales, is yet again at the bottom of the league table of vaccine supplies delivered by population.

“The Welsh Government needs to stop ignoring North Wales and give us the vaccines we need to protect vulnerable people.”

Mr Millar has since responded posting on his Facebook page, the MS said:

“Labour’s Welsh Health Minister accused me of lying this week for claiming that North Wales was not being given its fair share of vaccine supplies.”

“Here’s a written answer from the Minister himself. It shows that Betsi Cadwaldr University Health Board received just 17.3% of the vaccine stock distributed by the Welsh Government to the 8th January in spite of having 22.2% of the Welsh population to look after.”

“I just want fair play for North Wales but we are not getting it so far.”