Vaccines end at Hydro as venue gears up for COP26 summit

Coronavirus vaccinations will be administered at Glasgow’s Hydro for the final time on Sunday, as the venue gears up to host the COP26 climate change summit later this year.

The Hydro, which carried out up to 5000 vaccinations a day, has operated as a vaccine centre since April following the closure of the NHS Louisa Jordan.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) says the final day of drop-ins coincides with the next stage of the health board’s vaccination programme, focusing on mobile facilities and drop-ins at community settings, alongside planned second dose appointments.

Jane Grant, NHSGGC’s chief executive, said: “The SSE Hydro and NHS Louisa Jordan Hospital have both played a really significant role in enabling NHSGGC to deliver our vaccination programme

“Our vaccination rollout has been a great success so far and as we now move into the next stage of the programme and look ahead to potential Covid-19 vaccine booster requirements, it is important we can continue to provide an accessible and flexible service to members of the public.”

The Hydro, which forms part of the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), will now prepare to welcome thousands of delegates for the UN climate change conference running from October 31 to November 12.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf said; “It is now time for the site to be handed over in preparation for COP26 as was always the intention.

“The transition from the Hydro will be seamless with no negative impact on vaccination capacity and appointments have been allocated to alternative clinics, although of course, people can always head along to one of the many drop-in clinics now operating in the area if they prefer.

“As ever I continue to urge everyone to take up their offer of a vaccine, be it first or second dose. It is the best route out of this pandemic and the best way to protect yourself, your family and friends and your community.”

The news comes as Scotland recorded five deaths of coronavirus patients in the past 24 hours and 2047 new cases.

So far, 3,963,502 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 2,940,202 have received their second dose.

Scotland will move to level zero coronavirus restrictions on Monday, albeit with with certain modifications in light of challenges faced by the spread of the Delta variant.

But the Scottish Conservatives said people would be “confused as to why the decision has been taken to close the country’s largest vaccination centre” just hours before the move to level zero.

Shadow health secretary Annie Wells said: “Just as we head towards the finishing line, the SNP are overseeing a slowing down in Scotland’s vaccination rollout.

“They are set to miss their own targets and hundreds of thousands of adults are still set to be waiting on getting their first dose.

“While preparations for the COP26 summit ultimately have to be made, there are concerns that capacity in the vaccine rollout could be lost at such a critical point as a result of taking this decision now.

“SNP ministers must ensure that they redouble their efforts to ramp up the vaccination programme across Glasgow and the country and guarantee people will be able to get doses as quickly and easily as possible.

“Any failure to do so could potentially put the planned easing of restrictions at risk in the coming weeks.”