A JABS hub in Wales has been forced to shut today over supply issues – just weeks after the country's government said delivery of doses was being staggered 'to avoid staff sitting around with nothing to do'.

MP Chris Bryant, who represents Rhondda, said shortages of the Pfizer jab "for the next two or three weeks" have closed a huge vaccination centre.

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Health chiefs have moved to reassure locals due their second dose.

Meanwhile, it's understood other centres in the country will be operating at a reduced capacity amid a "planned and expected" change in supplies.

Mr Bryant wrote on Facebook: "It's a shame that the lack of supply of the Pfizer vaccine for the next two or three weeks means that the mass vaccination centre is going to have to close temporarily.

"It will be up and running very soon and I'm pushing very hard to make sure that the supplies do come through so that we can start on the next set of categories as well as getting the second doses done."

The Welsh government has been heavily criticised in recent weeks for its jabs roll-out.

First Minister Mark Drakeford came under particular focus after he claimed the deployment of tens of thousands of Pfizer jabs was being staggered to 'avoid staff sitting around with nothing to do' last month.

In a statement today, the Welsh Government told the BBC: "Over the next couple of weeks, we are expecting a slight reduction in the amount of vaccines we will receive from the UK Government.

"This is a planned and expected change in supply that will affect the whole of the UK.

"We have factored this into our plans and it will not affect people's appointments or delay when people are due to get their second dose.

"The supply of vaccines is expected to ramp up significantly from the beginning of March.

"Every dose of vaccine we receive will continue to be delivered immediately to all those who need it.

"Our vaccination teams continue to do an incredible job to vaccinate everyone as quickly as possible."

The closure of the mega-hub is just the latest setback to hit the Welsh vaccine roll-out.

In mid-January, GPs in north Wales were advised to delay jab appointments due to a hold-up affecting 26,000 doses.

Welsh officials admitted one Oxford-AstraZeneca batch out of four had been delayed during the chaos.

After the hold-up, people waiting for their vaccine, organisations representing medics and opposition politicians spoke of their deep concern – and called for the Labour-led government to speed up its distribution.

Mr Drakeford then told the BBC he was slowing down the roll-out – because there's "no point" using the doses too quickly.

"It would be logistically very damaging to try to use all of that in the first week and then have all of our vaccinators standing around with nothing to do for another month," he said.

“The sensible thing to do is use the vaccine you have got over the period that you have got it for so your system can absorb it.

"You don’t have people standing about with nothing to do.”

Following an outcry, a Welsh government spokesperson insisted that it was on course to vaccinate all members of the top four priority groups by mid-February.

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A spokesperson said there are only two places in Wales able to store the vaccine at the right ultra-low -70c temperature.

"Once removed from storage, the vaccine lasts five days. Every dose wasted is a vaccine which cannot be given to someone in Wales," they said. 

And ministers said the jab is being distributed in a "careful way" to ensure there's appropriate storage in place and avoid waste.

After the fiasco, Andrew RT Davies, the shadow minister for health, said Mr Drakeford's decision to delay deployment was "shocking" and "dangerous", and the British Medical Association in Wales tweeted that it was "extremely concerned".

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