ULSTER STRIKES VACC

Historic moment as vaccine centre begins to inoculate 40,000 people a week

HISTORY was made in the battle against Covid yesterday as Northern Ireland’s first mass vaccination centre opened its doors.

And it’s hoped the NHS heroes manning the SSE Arena in Belfast will administer 40,000 jabs a week.

The unprecedented mobilisation means those aged over 40 could be inoculated within days.

First Minister Arlene Foster said: “Our vaccination centres are ramping up. I am delighted to be here to see the professionalism of our staff.”

NORTHERN Ireland’s mass vaccination centre was yesterday hailed as a “significant milestone” in the fight against coronavirus.

The SSE Arena in Belfast will have the capacity to administer jabs to 40,000 people a week.

A slowdown in the UK’S vaccine supply lines will see the centre processing around 11,000 people a week initially, with the numbers ramping up as more Astrazeneca jabs become available.

The SSE will operate as a mass vaccination site for the whole of Northern Ireland. Several regional centres will continue to administer vaccines, as will GP surgeries.

Visiting the arena floor, which has the capacity for 60 separate vaccination stations on Monday, First Minister Arlene Foster said its opening is a “significant milestone” in the rollout of the vaccination programme.

She added: “Our vaccination centres are ramping up, I am delighted to be here to see the professionalism of our staff yet again.

“It’s been a really good week to mark more milestones, 30 million people across the United Kingdom have now received their first dose of their vaccine and in Northern Ireland over 50% of adults have received their vaccines.”

Mrs Foster added she was “perfectly well” after her vaccine on Saturday apart from a sore arm on Sunday.

Executive ministers are set to meet on Thursday to discuss the latest state of restrictions.

Mrs Foster said numbers are “going in the right direction in Northern Ireland” with incident rates down to

“around 53 in 100,000”. She added young people have been prioritised in the move out of lockdown with all to be back in school by April 12.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill said it was a day for hope and optimism.

She added: “To walk through the SSE Arena would lift everybody’s heart.”

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, Ms O’neill said: “We think April 15 gives us the next opportunity to be able to announce some more easements.

“It needs to be steady and it needs to be slow and gradual in order to allow us to move forwards and not backwards.”

READY TO ROLL Vaccinators at the ready in SSE Arena yesterday

PLEASED Arlene Foster

BELFAST The SSE Arena yesterday

STAGE IS SET Arena will be able to jab thousands a day

QUEUE CAN DO IT People waiting for shots

No further deaths of people who previously tested positive were reported by the Department of Health yesterday. A further 65 cases of the virus were recorded in the last 24-hour reporting period – the lowest figure since September. OPTIMISM First Minister Arlene Foster yesterday