Jab centre shut with no prior warning

A COUPLE say they turned up at a mass vaccination centre in Swansea for their jabs to find it was closed without warning.

Robert Wickstone and his wife Sandra were among those who attended Canolfan Gorseinon on Sunday evening for their second coronavirus vaccination.

They arrived at the time and date set out on their appointment letters, turning up 20 minutes early. But unlike when they received their first jabs, they noticed the car park was empty and there was no sign of anyone there.

Swansea Bay University Health Board has now apologised and said it was down to a late change of plans.

Mr Wickstone, 72, said: “My wife and I had our letters confirming our appointments and our neighbour took us down in time for us to have them. We got there at 4.40pm and it was a bit weird because the car park was empty. When we went for our first jab you were struggling to find a space.

“We had a little look and there was no notice on the door or anything. It was closed. We waited until about 5.05pm and then at that point we left. I rang the number that was on our letters at 11am this morning and the lady on the phone apologised and gave us another appointment for next week.

“I’m surprised they did not put a notice on the door or give us any sort of warning that it was going to be closed.”

Covid-19 vaccination programme director for Swansea Bay UHB, Dorothy Edwards, said: “We’re sorry this happened, but we know that most of those who had been booked into Gorseinon MVC on Sunday were contacted last week and had their appointments rescheduled. There were some people we could not get hold of, and we ask them to ring our booking line to reschedule as soon as possible if they haven’t already done so. They can call 01792 200492 or 01639 862323.

“We had to divert staff from Gorseinon to the extra Pfizer vaccination clinics we have been putting on at our other MVCS since the recent JCVI recommendation that an alternative to the Astrazeneca vaccine should be given to the under-40s.”