More than 300,000 people across Lanarkshire have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, with health board officials saying the programme is “ahead of schedule” and “continuing at speed”.
Local centres including the Time Capsule in Coatbridge are currently being used in rotation to accommodate rescheduled appointments, with the supercentres at Motherwell and East Kilbride closing over the Easter weekend to allow staff to be deployed to the seven community venues.
The “mop-up vaccinations” for the groups offered appointments so far – people aged 50 and over, and those under that age who have underlying health conditions – are being completed at the local venues before the programme then moves on to residents in their 40s and the programme of second doses.
Nearly three in five adults across the NHS Lanarkshire area have now received their first dose of the vaccine; with the figures for North Lanarkshire being 55.8 having received the first dose and 4.8 per cent also having had the second.
Dr Mark Russell, who is leading the local health board’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, said: “We have made great progress and have completed up to priority group nine ahead of schedule.
“We would not have been able to vaccinate at such a pace without our supercentres – 58 per cent of the local adult population has received their first dose.
“Before we move onto 40- to 49-year-olds and second doses, we will be vaccinating people who have chosen to reschedule their appointment to a local centre and over the Easter weekend our supercentres will close to allow staff to move to local centres and complete these mop-up vaccinations.”
People aged over 80 will receive their second vaccination dose from their GP practice and those who are housebound will continue to receive a home visit; while people in their 70s will be invited to their nearest vaccination clinic – either a local centre or supercentre.
Coatbridge and the other local centres are currently opening “at least once every two weeks, on different days to allow better choice”; and NHS Lanarkshire describe them as “a starting point, rather than a definite ongoing position, [which] remain flexible to meet the needs of the service”.
The supercentres at Ravenscraig sports centre and in East Kilbride can accommodate more than 50,000 people each week, and the health board adds: “Lanarkshire has had a high incidence of Covid-19 and [these] plans will allow us to protect our communities as quickly as possible.
“We are also working with organisations to provide a number of mobile units to help serve our more rural populations and for those who are unable to travel to either a supercentre or local centre.”
Dr Russell added: “I would like to thank everyone who has attended for their vaccination appointment, which is helping to return us to normal life faster.
“It’s important that we all attend for our vaccination and second dose when we are invited – It’s the most important journey that any of us will make this year.”
More information on the local vaccination programme is available at www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/covid-19-vaccine – including dates for local centres and transport information.
