BUILTH Wells resident Pat Borland was one of the first people to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at a GP practice in Powys today (Monday).

All 16 GP practices in Powys will begin vaccinating people this week, adding to the already successful roll-out of the vaccine at the county’s three Mass Vaccination Centres in Newtown, Builth Wells and Bronllys. It brings the number of places you can now receive the vaccine in Powys to 19.

Practice nurse Gill Gorton was one of the first people to give the Covid vaccine at a GP practice in Powys, administering it to Mrs Borland, who said she was pleased to receive the jab.

In Ystradgynlais, Ian Stuttard was vaccinated by Julie James and was the first of 80 people vaccinated at the practice, which plans to vaccinate over 600 by the end of the week. Ian said: “I feel privileged to be the first vaccine recipient. It could save my life.

“I appreciate the skills and hard work of all those involved in creating and distributing the vaccine.”

With the addition of GP vaccinations, Powys is currently aiming to deliver around 7,000 jabs per week and it is expected that this capacity will increase as vaccine supply increases in the coming weeks.

Every person over the age of 80 should now have received a letter giving them a vaccination appointment. Anyone who has not received a letter can let Powys Teaching Health Board know by registering at https://pthb.nhs.wales/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccination/over-80-in-powys-and-not-received-an-invitation-to-vaccination/.

In order to reduce the risk of people being given duplicate appointments and the vaccine being potentially wasted, GP practices are working to a list of patients supplied by the health board and are phoning patients to invite them for vaccination.

Please do not call your GP directly for Covid vaccination at this time as they need their telephone capacity to make the outgoing calls to make the appointments.