The UK will kick off the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine produced by Moderna on Wednesday, making it the third shot in circulation in the country.
The Welsh government said the vaccine will be distributed first in West Wales and 5,000 doses will be sent to vaccination centers in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
“This is another important milestone in our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. A third vaccine for use in Wales will contribute significantly to our defense against the coronavirus and will help protect our most vulnerable, ”said Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething in a statement.
“Any vaccine given to someone in Wales is a small win over the virus and we would encourage everyone to go for their vaccine if they are invited.”
The UK already distributes vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca. The rollout of the Moderna vaccine is taking place about two weeks earlier than expected.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he hopes to fully reopen the UK economy on June 21 pending the success of vaccine distribution.
The government announced on Tuesday that three in five adults in the UK have received at least one dose. Johnson, however, had to quell concerns about AstraZeneca’s shot, while the UK’s drug regulator is investigating scattered cases of blood clots in adults.