Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Heléna Herklots CBE, said:
“It is disappointing that the Welsh Government has missed its target to vaccinate 70% of older people living in care homes and those over the age of 80. I have been contacted by many older people and their families throughout Wales with concerns about the vaccination process, in particular its pace and scale, and they will feel significantly let down by this.
“It is crucial that all possible action is now taken to ensure that the Welsh Government’s targets to vaccinate everyone living and working in a care home by the end of January, and everyone over the age of 70 by mid-February can be met.
“I do not underestimate the scale of the task at hand, and would like to thank vaccination teams throughout Wales, who I know are working incredibly hard. But every dose of vaccine delivered to older people reduces the risk of those who are most vulnerable to coronavirus from becoming seriously ill, so it is vital that vaccinations are delivered to those in priority groups as quickly as possible.
“I will continue to closely monitor the roll-out of the vaccine in Wales, and will maintain frequent contact with the Welsh Government and the COVID-19 Vaccine Programme Board to raise any concerns I have and ensure that older people’s voices are heard and acted upon.”
