Appointments are being made by GP surgeries for over 80s and at satellite clinics for frontline health staff

UPDATE: The centre is set to open from the "beginning of February"

Covid vaccinations at Holm View Leisure Centre in Barry will go ahead "when needed" says Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

The health board identified three mass vaccination centres in December to support the roll out of the COVID 19 vaccination programme, in Barry, Pentwyn and Splott.

A mass vaccination centre at Holm View Leisure Centre is yet to open and begin offering appointments.

"We are constantly reviewing our capacity in line with vaccination delivery and will mobilise the centre in Barry when it is needed," said a spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale UHB.

"The health board is currently prioritising frontline health and social care staff through one site in Cardiff and two satellite clinics for staff have been introduced at UHW and UHL.

"We are working closely with GP Practices across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan who will begin delivering the vaccinations to their patients who are 80 and over at the practice."

All GP practices in the Central Vale Cluster, including Sully Surgery, have agreed to provide the University of Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine with Cardiff and Vale UHB.

"Currently this will only be to immunise patients aged 80 and over, excluding patients in residential or care homes as the Health Board will be organising this," read an update from Sully Surgery.

"There are a number of planning activities that practices have to complete before we can start this programme, including training for practice teams, documentation and arrangement of delivery of the vaccine.

"Once everything is in place we will start calling our patients aged 80 and above to offer appointments. Please do not call the practice with enquiries about the vaccine/appointments for the vaccine.

"At this time, we have not been instructed by the Health Board to vaccinate patients under 80 years or those at risk (including those who were advised to shield). However we will continue to keep patients informed."

The Welsh Conservatives have criticised the Welsh Government for not having provided a mass vaccination centre in the Vale already.

"The vaccine rollout is a sprint and we need to get as many people vaccinated as possible as quickly as possible," said Andrew RT Davies (MS and Shadow Minister for Health), Matt Smith (Welsh Conservative Senedd Candidate for Vale of Glamorgan) and Cllr Leighton Rowlands (Welsh Conservative Senedd Candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth) in a joint statement provided for Nub News.

"A mass vaccination centre in the Vale is essential to achieve this, and it's unbelievable that we're now told the Welsh Labour Government are not providing one.

"This needs to change and fast."

Penarth Healthcare Partnership, on Stanwell Road, will begin vaccination appointments this week.