The UK will start rolling out the coronavirus vaccine that Moderna manufactures on Wednesday, making it the third shot in circulation in the country.
The Welsh government has said the vaccine will first be distributed in West Wales and that 5,000 doses will be sent to vaccination centers in the health council of Hywel Dda University.
“This is another important milestone in our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. “A third vaccine for use in Wales contributes significantly to our defense in the face of the coronavirus and will help protect our most vulnerable,” Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething said in a statement.
“Every vaccine given to anyone in Wales is a small victory against the virus, and we will encourage everyone to go to their vaccination if they are invited.”
The UK already distributes vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca. The effect of the Moderna vaccine occurs about two weeks earlier than expected.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he hopes to fully reopen the British economy on June 21 pending the success of vaccine distribution.
The government announced on Tuesday that three out of every five British adults had received at least one dose. Johnson, however, had to allay concerns about the AstraZeneca shot while the UK drug regulator spread blood clots in adults.