THE CARDIFF and Vale University Health Board have insisted they remain on target for administering coronavirus vaccinations, despite falling short of government projections.

This week health minister Vaughan Gething and the Welsh Government came under fire for committing to vaccinating everyone in every care home in Wales by the end of the month – and all over 80s.

The data, from Public Health Wales, says 67.6 per cent of care home residents and 74.6 per cent of care home staff have received their first dose of the vaccine now, while 96,830 of those aged over 80 in Wales have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, accounting for 52.8 per cent of that age group.

In the Cardiff and Vale health board, 1,457 care home residents and 2,266 care home staff had been vaccinated by Tuesday. The health board said they were on track at the moment, having hit their own target of vaccinating 64 care homes by January 25. There are 130 care homes across the region.

Across the health board area 44,707 people had been vaccinated by Tuesday.

The latest figures from the health board show 17,823 healthcare staff had been vaccinated, as well as 8,759 people aged 80 or over, 4,479 social care staff, and 9,923 other residents.

The health board said it hopes to open mass vaccination centres in Pentwyn and Barry on February 1 and February 8 respectively, and people aged between 70 and 74 will start receiving invitations to attend those centres next month.

There is currently only one vaccination centre in the region - in Splott, but all GP practices are now administering the vaccines too.

Over the weekend the Welsh Government said it missed its target to vaccinate 70 per cent of the nation’s over 80s.

First minister Mark Drakeford told the Senedd on Tuesday that the ice and snow had scuppered the Welsh Government's ambition of hitting the 70 per cent target it set last week.

Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies said Mr Drakeford and health minister Vaughan Gething "must take full responsibility for this failure, and should face up, shape up, and get the vaccine programme back on track by appointing a dedicated vaccines minister and setting a commitment they can reach".

The Welsh Government has committed to offering vaccines to everyone in its top-four priority groups by mid-February, and on Monday Mr Gething said this target was still attainable despite the weekend's weather-related disruption.