THE equivalent of one in four people in Wales have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said.

Mr Gething told a press conference in Cardiff that take-up of the vaccine in the first four priority groups in Wales had been 'incredibly high'.

As of Monday, February 15, a total of 784,809 people in Wales have now received their first dose of the vaccine.

Wales became the first UK nation to hit the first Covid vaccination target of vaccinating the first four priority groups by Mid-February.

Mr Gething said people in priority groups five to nine in Wales should be offered a vaccine by the end of April.

The Welsh Government will hold a review into coronavirus restrictions in the country this week, with the cabinet using any 'headroom' to return the youngest children to face-to-face teaching.

At the press conference, the health minister said: “The seven-day average rate has fallen below 100 cases per 100,000 people for the first time in many, many months, the positivity rate is less than 10%, and the R number remains below one."

He described the figures as 'positive' but said Wales had to be 'very careful' about easing of lockdown measures due to the presence of new strains of Covid-19 in the UK.

Mr Gething was asked about concerns that some over 70s still have not been contacted to get their vaccination.

He said if there are people who haven’t been contacted, it was 'disappointing', but said the health boards have sent out reminders that maybe they have gone to the wrong place.

They are getting to 'extraordinarily' high numbers of people, he said.

If anyone in the first four priority groups have not been contacted for an appointment, then they should contact the NHS and book.

However, anyone in the other priority groups do not need to make contacted as the NHS will be in touch with them when it is their turn.

Mr Gething was also asked if there are further plans to prioritise teachers in getting vaccines.

He said youngest children will be going back to school from a week today as they are 'less likely to suffer harm' and less likely to transmit the virus.

They have already had education staff who have been staffing hubs and have not seen significant numbers getting coronavirus in these hubs, which should give 'confidence'.

The health minister went on to say that teachers do not appear to have a 'materially higher risk' than the rest of the public, but priority group people do have higher risk of disease and death.

He said they are in the business of 'saving people’s lives' and as soon as they get first nine priority groups, they can push through the other age groups

When asked whether the virus has impacted on transmission rates, Mr Gething said it is 'harder to tell', because most of the reduction has been due to lockdown.

The country is still a 'long way' from rates down at the end of summer but Mr Gething said they will see the benefit of the mass vaccination programme as we move into Spring and Summer.

Then, there will be the 'task of recovery'.

The booking number for those in the first four eligible groups who have yet to be vaccinated, but want an appointment in North Wales is 03000 840004.