Fifth of under 40s remain unvaccinated
A fifth of adults under 40 in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot have still not had their first dose of a Covid vaccine.
Director of Public Health, Dr Keith Reid, has branded the figure “concerning”.
He is urging all eligible adults who remain unvaccinated to get their first dose as soon as possible. Drop-in sessions are ongoing and appointments are available.
Out of 78,000 eligible adults under 40 in the Swansea Bay University Health Board area, around 16,000 or 20% remain unvaccinated.
Dr Reid said: “The summer holidays give us all the much needed opportunity to catch up with family and friends and visit those places we have missed.
“Unfortunately, the coronavirus will also be getting out and about, exploiting any opportunity to spread.
“We must remember that we are still in the middle of the third wave and the Delta variant, which is the dominant strain in Wales, is much easier to catch than the Alpha or Kent variant.”
No vaccines offer 100% protection. But after two doses the current vaccines offer very good protection against Covid overall. And they are highly effective (96% for Pfizer and 92% for Oxford-AstraZeneca) at preventing hospitalisation from the Delta variant.
Dr Reid said: “We know some young people are reluctant to have the vaccine due to myths circulating on social media.
“These state the vaccines cause infertility in women or impotence in men.
“Some people who are young and healthy believe they’re better off letting their immune system fight off the virus naturally.
“None of these things are true and it’s dangerous to believe them.
“Indeed it is natural Covid infection and long Covid which are associated with erectile dysfunction in men. There have been no reports of impotence linked to vaccination and vaccination is recommended as a protection against this side-effect of Covid infection.”
Here’s how unvaccinated adults aged 17 years and nine months to 39 can get their first dose. We offer the Pfizer vaccine in line with JCVI recommendations.
If you can’t make a drop in or are 40 or over, book an appointment on 01792 200492.
Drop-in sessions (Some second dose appointments are also scheduled during these sessions and will go ahead as normal.)
Bay Field Hospital Mass Vaccination Centre over the next three weeks:
Saturday, July 31st – Time: 10am – 6pm
Sunday, August 1st – Time: 10am – 6pm
Saturday, August 7th - Time: 10am - 6pm
Sunday, August 8th - Time: 10am - 6pm
Wednesday, August 11th - Time: 10am - 6pm
Saturday, August 14th – Time: 9am to 7.40pm
Sunday, August 15th – Time: 10am to 6pm
The Orangery Mass Vaccination Centre at Margam Park:
Thursday, August 12th – Time: 1pm to 7.45pm
Friday, August 13th – Time: 1pm to 7.45pm
Saturday, August 14th – Time: 9am to 7.45pm
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