A significant milestone has been reached in the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Fife with half a million jabs now having been given in the Kingdom.
The COVID-19 vaccination programme began back in December 2020, with care home residents and frontline health and social care workers amongst the first to be vaccinated, followed by those aged 80 and over.
Public vaccination clinics opened in February 2021 in venues across Fife with local people vaccinated by priority group, as set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
A number of mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics opened in May 2021, which increased the volume of vaccines that could be given and sped up the space of the vaccination campaign.
Vaccination clinics remain in operation across Fife for anyone aged 16 and over who has not yet received their first dose, or whom had their first dose more than 8 weeks previously.
Currently, around 274,000 first doses have been given along with just under 236,000 second doses.
NHS Fife Director of Public Health, Dr Joy Tomlinson, said:
“The scale of the COVID-19 vaccination programme here in Fife is unlike anything we have ever undertaken. Reaching more than half a million vaccinations is hugely encouraging and we want to thank the people of Fife for their fantastic response to the offer of vaccination, and to the healthcare staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the campaign.
“We continue to see the positive impact of the vaccination programme in helping to reduce spread, reducing hospital admissions and preventing some of the most vulnerable from becoming seriously unwell and requiring treatment in our intensive care units.
“With restrictions now having eased across the country, it’s easy to think that the virus is no longer a threat to our health but that is far from the case, with even some people who are otherwise healthy suffering serious effects after contracting COVID-19.
“Our clinics remain open for those who haven’t been vaccinated or who are more than eight weeks since their first dose. Many clinics operate a drop-in service so it has never been easier to get vaccinated.”
For details of the various drop-in clinics available across Fife, visit: www.nhsfife.org/dropinclinics.
Audio:
Director of Public Health, Dr Joy Tomlinson, discusses the progress made towards vaccinating the local population against COVID-19 - [DOWNLOAD]
Images:
16 year old Lily Nicolson from Glenrothes receiving her COVID-19 vaccination:
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