ARMY TO HELP SET UP 80 DOSE CENTRES ACROSS NATION
THE Army will help set up 80 coronavirus vaccination centres throughout Scotland as part of the largest peacetime resilience operation carried out by the Armed Forces.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed the deployment of 98 soldiers over the next 28 days to identify and prepare suitable locations for NHS Scotland to
administer the Covid-19 vaccine.
Soldiers will organise vaccine delivery to the sites, prepare storage for medicines and equipment, how to register and record patients as well as sorting car parking and traffic flow around the sites.
The troops, most of whom will be from the Leucharsbased Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, will then hand over the running of the sites to the health service.
Wallace said: “The Armed Forces are operating across the length and breadth of the country, using their skill set to ensure the vaccine reaches the very fingertips of the UK.
“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 frees up NHS Scotland and local authorities to continue to focus on administering the initial 900,000 doses provided to Scotland 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 Andrew’s House in Edinburgh.
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 Armed Forces is helping the Scottish Government get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible.”
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.”