COVID-19 Vaccinations

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:19 pm on 19 January 2021.

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Photo of Darren Millar Darren Millar Conservative 2:19, 19 January 2021

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, the Betsi Cadwaladr health board, according to a written answer from your own health Minister, received just 17.3 per cent of the vaccine stock distributed by the Welsh Government to 8 January, in spite of having over 22 per cent of the Welsh population to look after. And just last week, GPs in north Wales who were part of the vaccine roll-out programme were told to postpone appointments because of delays in delivering vaccine stock. Now, this is coupled with what appears to be a slower roll-out of the vaccination programme in north Wales. Can you tell us why north Wales isn't getting its fair share of vaccine stocks, or certainly wasn't up until 8 January, and also why GPs can't use the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, given that it has a five-day shelf life even after being taken out of deep cold storage, because, as I understand it, that's one of the reasons why the ramp-up hasn't been quicker than it currently is in north Wales?