NOW TROOPS JOIN IN THE FIGHT
Army experts deployed to scout and set up 80 new vaccine sites
TrOOpS have been drafted in to set up 80 new vaccination centres in Scotland to strengthen the fightback against coronavirus.
The massive operation will get under way this week with Armed Forces personnel set to identify suitable sites.
Ninety-eight soldiers are being deployed over the next 28 days to prepare locations where NHS Scotland can safely administer the Covid-19 vaccine.
Officials hope the move will free the NHS and local authorities to focus on administering the 900,000 doses of the jab received in January.
The Army’s involvement comes after it emerged that on one day last week 279,000 people were vaccinated in the UK – with just 16,000 of those in Scotland.
By Friday, a total of 224,840 people north of the Border had received their first dose of the jab, whereas there had been 3,555,179 vaccinations carried out in the UK.
Troops will organise vaccine delivery to the sites, prepare storage for medicines and equipment, and assist with how to register and record patients. They will also help with car parking and traffic flow operations around the sites.
The move, confirmed by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, will see soldiers from the royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the royal Army Medical Corps split into 11 vaccination centre set-up teams.
Mr Wallace said: ‘The Armed Forces are operating across the length and breadth of the country, using their unique skill set to ensure the vaccine reaches the very fingertips of the United Kingdom.
‘Our work supporting the new vaccine sites in Scotland complements the extensive preparation and planning the military are already conducting to support the vaccine rollout programme.
‘Using the logistical expertise of military personnel, honed in warzones around the world, frees up NHS Scotland and local authorities to continue to focus on administering the initial 900,000 doses provided to Scotland by the UK Government in January.’
The 98 soldiers will be directed by 20 military personnel based in Stirling, while a further 32 will offer support alongside the Scottish Government and Scotland’s health boards from St Andrews House in Edinburgh.
It is understood troops will begin assessing sites in Lanarkshire today, after holding virtual meetings over the weekend.
Officials said they expect to see similar moves south of the Border.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: ‘For us all, vaccines are the light at the end of the tunnel.
‘I’m very pleased that the expertise of the British Armed Forces is helping the Scottish Government get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible. The UK Government is supplying and paying for vaccines for the whole of the UK. It is now vital that these doses are administered as soon as possible.
‘The UK Government is supporting all parts of the UK during the pandemic. That includes our unprecedented furlough scheme, delivering the bulk of daily testing in Scotland and providing the Scottish Government with an extra £8.6billion to support Scotland’s Covid response.’
Last week the Scottish Government said it had identified six sites expected be used as major vacci
nation hubs, including the NHS Louisa Jordan which was used to administer thousands of jabs over the weekend.
The other mass hubs are the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Queen Margaret University in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Ravenscraig Sports Centre in Motherwell, Lanarkshire; the P&J Event Complex in Aberdeen; and the Pyramids Business Park at Bathgate, West Lothian.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘Our vaccination programme covers all parts of the UK and I’m proud the Armed Forces are supporting the largest rollout in our country’s history. We have already vaccinated more than 3.5million people across the UK and this is rapidly increasing every day.’