The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Great show as crowds roll up at Caird Hall to get jab
Crowds have been pouring back to the Caird Hall as the venue plays host to NHS Tayside’s newest vaccination centre.
The Dundee landmark, pictured above, has not welcomed live audiences since the start of the pandemic, but around 200 people an hour have been queuing up for Covid-19 jabs since it opened this week.
The project has been hailed as “light at the end of the tunnel” by locals, who praised its efficiency and the nurses involved.
Associate director of public health Dr Daniel Chandler said more than 60,000 people have so far been vaccinated across Tayside.
They include Linda Milne, who said: “I would never have envisaged getting an injection at the Caird Hall – this is the first time I’ve been in the city centre since Christmas 2019.
“Given the way this pandemic started, I didn’t believe we would get a vaccination so quickly – I thought I would be nearer to March as I’m in my 60s.
“It was a really smooth operation. I was only in for 20 minutes but I felt there was a sense of optimism and I’m certainly feeling more optimistic now.”
Lachlan McInroy, 68, from Maryfield, said: “We were told by the NHS on Wednesday that we could go to the Caird Hall or Kings Cross on Friday for the vaccination.
“It is certainly a good operation. We had to wait a quarter of an hour just to see if there was any adverse reaction.
“We were told we would get a notification in about 12 weeks for our second dose.
“I didn’t have any reservations about coming here today.”
Irene Isles, 65, praised the team, saying: “The nurses soon put me at ease when I came in.
“I had to change my mask to a fresh one, cleanse my hands, then you speak to someone behind a screen to give your details. Once that’s done you are given a booklet to read and then you go up and stand and wait, which for me was only a couple of minutes.
“I always lived in hope of the vaccination and here we are.”
Kenneth Hutton, from Broughty Ferry, said: “I was expecting some queues but we were seen straight away – it was really well organised.
“There is certainly light at the end of the tunnel but I do think there is some way to go. I’d like to think there could be some sense of normality come the summer.”
Dundee City Council has set up signs for dedicated drop-off and pick-up parking on Crichton Street for Caird Hall visitors, while blue badge holders are directed to Castle Street.
People arriving by car are being asked to use Gellatly Street and Greenmarket car parks which are free.
Council leader John Alexander urged people to give parking priority to those who need it.
He posted: “All parking is currently free of charge, on-street and multi-storey car parks, so there is no need to park directly outside the Caird Hall.
“The Caird Hall can vaccinate 180 people an hour, so you can imagine the parking chaos if everyone tries to drive and get right outside the door.”
NHS Tayside said that, despite the weather forecast, all vaccination sessions were scheduled to go ahead this weekend.
Any cancellations will be publicised on the website nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk, as well as social media channels.
“I didn’t have any reservations about coming here today