Online form for unpaid carers to be prioritised for vaccine

Unpaid carers will need to fill out an online form in order to be prioritised for a coronavirus vaccine.

Last month, Health Minister Gething confirmed unpaid carers would be included in priority group 6 – meaning they should be offered a vaccine by the middle of April.

The online form, which was launched on Monday, March 8, has been drawn up with guidance from carers’ organisations, such as Carers Wales, Carers Trust Wales and All Wales Forum of Parents and Carers.

The online form will help unpaid carers determine their eligibility for a vaccine and log their details with the NHS, which will then generate a date for a vaccine appointment.

Guidance on vaccinations for unpaid carers has been published by Welsh Government.

Welsh Government’s Deputy Health and Social Care Minister, Julie Morgan, said: “The guidance issued should give more clarity to those who are in priority group six and I would urge anyone who is eligible and not already registered with their GP to complete the online form.”

Speaking before the online form was launched, Caerphilly’s Senedd Member, Hefin David, said “We need to be clear on how unpaid carers will get their vaccinations, especially if there will be a different process than there has been for other priority groups.”

In a virtual Senedd meeting on March 2, Dr David asked First Minister Mark Drakeford whether people receiving a carers allowance would be included in priority group 6.

In response, the First Minister said he “would be very surprised if there are people who are able to claim carers allowance, who cannot bring themselves within the system that we have now agreed here in Wales”.

Who has been vaccinated so far?

As of Sunday, March 7, 998,296 people in Wales had received their first dose, according to figures published by Public Health Wales, with a further 183,739 people having received both doses.

So far, 94.2% of people aged 80 and above have received a first vaccine dose, while 94.6% of people aged 75 to 79 have been given their first dose.

Of those aged 70 to 74, 93.9% have had their first dose.

In total, 86.8% of people aged 65 to 69 have received their first dose, while 35.9% of people aged 60 to 64, 27.5% of people aged 55 to 59 and 22.3% of people aged 50 to 54 have been given their first vaccination.

Meanwhile, 84.7% of care home workers, 95.2% of care home residents and 87.5% of people aged between 16 and 69, who are classed as extremely clinically vulnerable, have had their first vaccine.

Across Wales, 129,000 healthcare workers have had their first coronavirus vaccine dose – which equates to 87.4%.