Adam Price

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MS Adam Price has welcomed the changes to the vaccination policy, as announced by Hywel Dda Health Board this week. There are two key changes in the vaccination policy that have been implemented this week:

Funeral Directors

• Welsh Government has advised that Funeral Directors now fall into the Priority 2 category.

Care Homes

• Previously, Red Care Homes (those with ongoing outbreaks) would not be vaccinated. The reason for this was If someone had been exposed to COVID, the vaccine would not stop them from developing symptoms. This could cause confusion regarding whether symptoms post vaccination are due to the vaccine or due to COVID, which could in turn cause delays to diagnosis.
• However, the position has changed, and from the end of last week people can be vaccinated in Red Care Homes, provided the residents have had an appropriate risk assessment and where there is cohorting in place to ensure that they vaccinating patients who are not part of an outbreak. The Health Board’s vaccination team is working with GPs to undertake these risk assessments and ensure that as many residents in Care Homes are vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Adam Price said:

“Having been contacted by several concerned constituents on the issue of care home vaccinations, this change of policy following pressure from Plaid Cymru in the Senedd is extremely welcome. I have personally written to the Health Board and the Minister for Health on this issue over the past few weeks, as the prospect of 28 days waiting for non-infected care home residents before receiving a vaccine was unacceptable. This change to the vaccination strategy is completely sensible, and will likely be a relief for many people.

With regard to the changes for Funeral Directors, I am very glad to see their inclusion into the Priority 2 category, having issued a Written Question on the matter last week. Similar arrangements have been taken on in Scotland and England, so the precedent for this change to be made was clear, following the report from the Deceased Management Advisory Group this month.

Plaid Cymru will continue to challenge the Welsh Government to continually review the evidence base in Wales, and adjust their strategies for vaccination accordingly.”