Carmarthen Mass Vaccination centre to close

People can continue to access their Covid vaccination in Carmarthen at Y Gamfa Wen MVC (located at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Jobswell Road, SA31 3EP).

Public PCR testing, if you have symptoms of Covid, will continue to be bookable through the Government online portal until April 1 when that service ends in the UK.

The Carmarthen Showground will no longer be an option for testing but people will be able to choose other sites in Llanelli, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

Covid testing is not provided at Y Gamfa Wen.

Gemma Brown, mass vaccination centre lead for Carmarthenshire, said: “As well as the many Hywel Dda UHB staff and volunteers who have worked at and supported the MVC over the past year, the health board wishes to thank staff from Sodexo and Guardwatch who have been integral to the day-to-day running of the centre.

“It is also very important that we thank and acknowledge the generosity of local business 3A’s Leisure, as without their support it would not have been possible to provide all three vaccines at the showground."

The Showground MVC was the seventh vaccination centre to be opened by Hywel Dda to increase the number of appointments available and ensure all people over 50 received a first Covid vaccine before the 2021 Easter weekend.

It has delivered 74,128 Covid vaccines since opening in March 2021.

Ms Brown did reveal there were challenges to overcome at the Showground site.

“People may not realise that due to the semi-outdoor environment at the showground, the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine was initially not available at this centre.

“When the autumn booster programme was confirmed using the Pfizer vaccine, we needed a solution to provide a clinically safe area to prepare the Pfizer vaccine and ensure the Showground was a part of the booster programme.

“Thanks to the generosity of Lynn Evans and the team at 3A’s Leisure, a caravan was donated, enabling the centre to be a part of delivering the life-saving booster vaccine.”