WALES could see a 24-hour vaccination programme as the roll-out continues across the UK.

Dr Andrew Goodall, chief executive of NHS Wales and Dr Frank Atherton, chief medical officer for Wales, both addressed the nation on Wednesday afternoon with a stark reminder to follow the rules.

The pair was asked about the possibility of a 24-hour vaccination programme as the top four priority groups aim to be vaccinated by mid-February.

Dr Andrew Goodall said they needed to ensure vaccination continues to increase.

In terms of planning, they have to ‘align to the supplies that becomes available’, which is a step-up from last week.

He added that locations have already been extended as well as days and hours, but nothing is ‘off the table’ in terms of choices.

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The chief exec said firstly they need to extend the hours but if at some point over the next few weeks there is an ‘opportunity’ to do things on a 24-hour basis, they will do so.

Mr Goodall said the area of focus is reverting to primary care structures such as GPs and pharmacies.

Dr Frank Atherton said that if there is a real demand for further hours of opening per health board, he would expect people to meet those demands.

However, he added they need to ensure they do not destabilise the NHS by increasing the activity elsewhere.

Dr Atherton said the same people delivering the vaccine are people in the NHS who are also busy doing other duties.

They will go as fast as they can but as safely as they can and a way which avoids wastage.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that the vaccine programme will be in operation 24-hours a day, seven days a week ‘as soon as we can’.

Responding to a question from Labour Leader Sir Kier Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson said plans will be set out ‘in due course’.

He said that at the moment the ‘limit is on supply’ but there is a ‘huge network’ of 233 hospitals, a thousand GP surgeries, 200 pharmacies and 50 mass vaccination centres.

On the vaccine, at the Welsh Government press conference, Dr Frank Atherton was asked about the second dose of the vaccine and why numbers were increasing elsewhere.

He said the UK four nations are following the same policy and a delay of 12-weeks for the second dose leads to ‘better outcomes’.

He said by and large he is pleased that everyone understands a second dose given to someone is a first dose denied elsewhere.

However there are occasions where a second dose is given to avoid wastage, as wastage in Wales is less than one per cent.