Final stages of the north-east's mass vaccination site well under way at the TECA site
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Final preparations are being made to open a mass vaccination centre in the north-east as the Covid-19 immunisation programme gathers pace.
NHS Grampian and Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership have secured the use of P&J Live at TECA.
Work has been ongoing to prepare the venue with the first vaccinations expected to take place from February 1 on a smaller scale and then increasing in capacity as supplies allow.
Project manager Clare Houston said: “P&J Live at TECA offers us enormous flexibility.
"The whole vaccination programme will have to adapt according to the supply of vaccine, approval of new vaccines, and availability of staff; in this space we will be able to expand our provision without interrupting existing clinics.
“We have consciously decided to start on a smaller scale to allow us to ‘bed in’ but have the potential to vaccinate many thousands of people each day when operating at full capacity.
“It is important to stress that this will not be a ‘drop-in’ facility.
"People will be offered appointments here in the same way that they will be offered appointments at any vaccination clinic.
"Wherever possible, we need the general public to help us by accepting the appointment they are given.
"While we will always try to accommodate individual choice, this is the biggest mass vaccination programme the UK has ever seen and we need people to make the necessary arrangements to attend the appointment issued.”
Nick Waight, Managing Director, P&J Live at TECA said: “We are delighted to be involved and playing our part in supporting this hugely important national initiative.
“P&J Live is ideally suited as a mass vaccination centre, mobilising the venue and our teams, assisting the NHS with protecting the population will, in turn, get us all back to a more normal life in the not-too-distant future.
“By utilising the vast space here at P&J Live, we can provide visitors with a safe and secure experience, we are providing free parking in our underground car park and with buses running every 10 minutes to and from the city centre, the venue is perfectly located and equipped to cope with large volumes of visitors.”
Clare added: “It is really important that members of the public do not contact the venue with any booking or appointment enquiries, as staff there will not be able to assist them.
"We appreciate the massive interest in this programme and we know people are anxious to know when they will be offered their vaccine.
"We are delivering the vaccination programme in line with the Scottish Government guidance, based on the recommendations for priority groups provided by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation.”
As the mass vaccination centre it is intended that the majority of immunisations in the city will take place at P&J Live at TECA.
Where people are genuinely unable to attend appointments, arrangements will be made for appointments at smaller community facilities.
In all cases people should attend appointments on their own unless they require the assistance of a carer.
A carer may attend the appointment for support and both the individual and their carer should wear a face covering. Covid-19 safety measures will be in place in all venues and these must be adhered to, to protect both the public and the vaccination and venue staff.
Appointment letters will contain information on travel to and from the relevant centre.
People are encouraged to make every effort to arrange their own transport to clinics.
Travel for medical appointments is classed as essential travel and car sharing (with precautions) is permitted.
