You can now get a coronavirus vaccine in a Cardiff Tesco

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You can now get a coronavirus vaccine in a Cardiff Tesco.

The pharmacy at the huge Western Avenue store is the first in the health board area to deliver the coronavirus vaccine. The service opened on Thursday, April 8, meaning eligible residents can now pick up their weekly shopping after receiving the jab.

On Wednesday, the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said the site was the first pharmacy in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to deliver the Covid-19 vaccine.

One person to receive their jab on Thursday was Neil Cocker from Cardiff.

After receiving his first dose, he said: “I was really surprised when I had the call, a lot of people have been sent to Toys R Us so I was very surprised when I got the call saying Tesco.

“It won’t change my behaviours at all really as I’ll still be careful but it will just give me a bit more reassurance when I’m finally able to see my mum in England so it won’t impact my life too much. I think it’s great. Whatever means to get it out early the better.”

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Another to receive their dose on Thursday was Tracey who said she was “taken aback” when she was told it was in a Tesco but said it was a “brilliant idea”.

The 46-year-old said: “I thought it would be a lot worse than what it was, I’m afraid of needles, but that was nothing. It was really good. I’m relieved now to have had it done, with everything that’s going on. I think it’s a brilliant idea, people can come in, do their shopping, get their Covid vaccine and then go home.”

A Tesco worker holding the vaccine
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

Pharmacy manager Andrew Li in the store
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

Andrew Li, pharmacy manager, said: “It’s run pretty smoothly to be fair and we’ve had a very good response. We’re happy with how it’s gone.

“The benefits of doing it in a supermarket are access, flexibility, sometimes when people attend their GP surgeries or mass vaccination centres they can be a bit nervous or apprehensive attending but here, a lot of people come here so it feels very natural and comfortable here.”

On Thursday the health board added: “We are bringing more community pharmacies on board over the coming weeks.”

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The pharmacy is the latest place people in the health board area can receive the vaccine. A huge mass vaccination centre (MVC) recently opened at the site of the former Toys R Us in Cardiff Bay. The Bayside MVC is the fourth for the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, adding to existing sites in Splott, Pentwyn and Barry.

On Thursday, the health board CEO said the new Bayside Mass Vaccination Centre was set up to do “around 4,000” vaccinations a day, providing there were no issues with supply. It opened on Thursday, March 25, and will be accessible for people living in Cardiff and the eastern part of Vale of Glamorgan.

Health board chief executive Len Richards received his vaccine at the centre on Thursday and said they were “getting through the population as quickly as possible”.

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