Vaccination bus still helping to give Covid a kick one year on

It’s been one year since the Scottish Ambulance Service’s first vaccination bus hit the road.

In that time another two vehicles have joined the fight against Covid-19 and have helped to deliver almost 60,000 jabs across Scotland.

The first mobile vaccination unit was launched on February 3, 2021, in Stanley, Perthshire.

It worked alongside NHS Tayside to help deliver Covid vaccinations to those in remote and rural areas.

Trained staff worked out of a modified coach, which was initially supplied free of charge by Lochs & Glens Holidays of Gartocharn in West Dunbartonshire.

It then went on to support other health boards and local authorities across the country and made pit stops outside the likes of shopping centres, football stadiums, community centres, churches and mosques.

In July 2021, the bus celebrated the delivery of 10,000 vaccines.

Since then, more than 48,000 jabs – including first, second and booster doses – have been delivered from three buses as part of the national vaccination programme.

The buses – dedicated to the east, west and north of the country – have been assisted by the Scottish Government, which provided new funding to improve the accessibility of vaccines in some of Scotland’s most remote places.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf said the buses had been a “huge success” and thanked the Scottish Ambulance Service for its “invaluable contribution” to the vaccination programme.

Natalie Macdonald, vaccination programme manager at the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “Over the past year our vaccination bus has made a huge contribution to Scotland’s effort to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The bus is a mobile vaccination clinic that can access remote and rural Scotland, providing a sheltered place where people can come and get vaccinated in a safe environment by trained healthcare professionals.

“With almost 60,000 jags having been delivered, our fantastic staff have been making a real difference in the ongoing fight against Covid-19.

“Our close working with Scottish Government, health boards and local authorities across Scotland has meant we can reach into communities via our mobile vaccination bus to ensure everyone has the chance to be vaccinated.”