Ayrshire Post

Shot of hope as mass centres open doors

- STUART WILSON

Ayrshire’s first mass Covid vaccine hubs have opened up with patients piling through the doors.

Venues in Ayr, Kilmarnock and Dreghorn began inoculatin­g on Monday morning with an army of staff and volunteers called up to action.

People aged from 65 to 79 are next in line to receive their jabs as the vaccine rollout programme continues.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran chief executive John Burns said: “This is a real milestone. It is fantastic to see people coming forward for their appointmen­t and rolling up their

sleeves to receive their vaccine.

“Our health and care staff, community partners and volunteers have worked tirelessly to make this programme a reality.

“It means that we can vaccinate our residents and offer them protection against COVID-19.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team that has brought this programme together and want to say thank you for all the hard work in getting here.

“Our message to the public is please come forward for vaccine when offered an appointmen­t, our teams are ready and waiting to deliver in our communitie­s.”

Mr Burns added: “I also want to thank our GP practices who have been vaccinatin­g those over 80

and for the continued support for the programme by administer­ing vaccines to those in the clinically extremely vulnerable (shielding) category and housebound patients during this wave of vaccinatio­ns.

“Patients in these groups should expect to be contacted by their GP practice directly with details on when in the coming weeks they will be offered their vaccinatio­n appointmen­t.”

Letters are dropping into Ayrshire households over the next days and weeks for appointmen­ts in February.

The documents will contain all the details you require to attend your appointmen­t and how to reschedule if you need to.

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The Citadel in Ayr is transforme­d into a vaccine centre
Organised The Citadel in Ayr is transforme­d into a vaccine centre
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James Smylie from Ayr lines up for his inoculatio­n
Jag time James Smylie from Ayr lines up for his inoculatio­n
 ??  ?? Big moment Fiona Struthers from Ayr receives her vaccine
Big moment Fiona Struthers from Ayr receives her vaccine

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