Double decker bus aids vaccine drive

People have been queueing for Covid vaccinations on a bus as drop-in clinics expand across Scotland amid record cases.

All mainland health boards are now offering coronavirus vaccine drop-in services for everyone aged 18 and over to receive their first dose, or second if it is eight weeks since their first.

Authorities hope it will encourage more people to get their vaccine if they can simply turn up without an appointment.

In Glasgow, people were receiving jabs on a double-decker bus which has been transformed into a vaccination clinic and was parked outside Mecca Bingo in Parkhead.

Paul Watson, project lead paramedic with the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “It’s about convenience and reduces any barriers people may find with the online system.”

Last week saw the most coronavirus cases of any point during the pandemic, with a peak of more than 4,000 new infections recorded.

A mobile vaccination unit, run by the Scottish Ambulance Service, will also be visiting busy areas in Lothian over the next five days.

It will be at the Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre today followed by the Grassmarket in Edinburgh tomorrow and Thursday, and will then travel to West Lothian on Friday.

NHS Lothian is using both the Moderna and Oxford/astrazeneca vaccines on the bus.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf tweeted: “We have one of the fastest vaccination programmes in the world but want to go even faster.

“Drop-in clinics open for every age cohort (18yrs +) for first and second doses right across every mainland health board area.”