CORONAVIRUS vaccinations began across Wales last week, with the Cardiff and the Vale Health Board administering its first round of inoculations at Cardiff and Vale Therapy Centre in Splott.

Vaccines will also be carried out at Holm View Leisure Centre in Barry and Pentwyn Leisure Centre, from January at the earliest, "in line with vaccination quantities expected through the UK government", says the health board.

The centres can be accessed by appointment only and those that are eligible to receive the vaccination will be sent a letter to contact the booking line to receive an appointment.

All centres have adequate car parking and public transport access to meet the service need.

Health and social care workers and care homes have been identified as the first priority groups, as well as those over 80 years old.

This priority list is as follows:

1. residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
2. all those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3. all those 75 years of age and over
4. all those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
5. all those 65 years of age and over
6. all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
7. all those 60 years of age and over
8. all those 55 years of age and over
9. all those 50 years of age and over

Approximately 265,000 people across Cardiff and Vale UHB will be eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination, with the mass vaccination programme expected to take 9-12 months.

Fiona Kinghorn, Executive Director of Public Health at Cardiff and Vale UHB said: "COVID-19 has been a big part of our lives over the last year and this is promising news that we are now in a position to deliver a vaccination when it becomes available.

"A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to identify suitable venues, recruit staff, set up a booking line and implement processes for the storage and transportation of the vaccination to get us ready to protect the population of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

"While the vaccination programme will take time, it is important that we all still adhere to the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales guidance and ensure we are social distancing, washing our hands regularly and wearing face coverings in public places to limit the spread of the virus."

Wales was the first country in the world to receive supplies of the vaccine last fortnight, and last Tuesday became one of the first to begin protecting people against coronavirus.

Some 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be available across the UK, with Wales getting its allocation based on its population.

In the first wave of vaccine deliveries, Wales received almost 40,000 doses, enough for nearly 20,000 people. Over 6000 doses were given last week.

First Minister Mark Drakeford, said: "2020 has been a very difficult year for all of us. This vaccine is a small glimmer of light at the end of what has been a long and dark tunnel.

"But the fact we have a vaccine does not mean we can stop doing those things that keep us safe. We must all continue to do our bit to prevent the spread of coronavirus: regular hand washing, social distancing, and wearing a face covering where required to protect yourself and others."

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: "Vaccines can take many years, even decades, to develop. The fact that a safe and effective vaccine has been developed in less than year is a remarkable tribute to all scientists and researchers around the world who have worked so hard to find a vaccine for COVID-19.

"We have been working really hard to plan for its arrival. We will now do everything we can to ensure we successfully deliver the COVID-19 vaccine across Wales in the days, weeks and months ahead."