PLANS are being made for the delivery of a potential COVID-19 vaccine to Powys.

This week it was revealed a coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer could be rolled out across the UK by Christmas after initial trials of the drug were successful.

Hailed by scientists as a breakthrough the experimental vaccine is in the final stages of testing and involves injecting the patient with part of the virus’s genetic code in order to train your immune system.

Two doses are needed three weeks apart and the trials from six countries show that a 90 per-cent protection rate has been achieved seven days after the first jab.

But health board chiefs are warning people not to become relaxed about social distancing and other safety precautions.

Stuart Bourne, Director of Public Health for Powys Teaching Health Board, said: "Planning for the delivery of a potential COVID-19 vaccine in Wales is well underway.

"This includes organising the logistics for transporting the vaccine, identifying suitable venues for vaccinations to take place, and ensuring that healthcare professionals are available and trained to administer the vaccines.

"There will be limited supplies of a vaccine at first, so it will be offered to those at highest risk, in accordance with national direction. It remains vital that we all take personal responsibility for our actions to ensure that we are doing as much as possible to limit the transmission of coronavirus.

"Although the firebreak period in Wales has ended, I would urge everyone to be aware that this does not mean a return to normality, coronavirus has not gone away, and it is still active in communities across Powys, so we all need to take steps to keep everyone safe and to prevent transmission.

"We ask the public to observe the new regulations and to limit their contact with other people as much as possible so that we all work together to bring the numbers of positive cases down.

“This means staying out of other people’s homes, limiting the times and the numbers of people that you meet, maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene, working from home if you can, and self-isolating if you show symptoms of coronavirus or are asked to do so by contact tracers."