COVID vaccination programme in Highland shows encouraging progress

Highland Council is currently playing its part in supporting the COVID-19 vaccination programme as the rollout continues within the region, working closely alongside NHS Highland and partners including High Life Highland.

The programme in Highland is largely delivered through GP practices and good progress is being made.  The Council is assisting with:

• Identifying premises to complement GP surgery buildings where needed;
• Making sure facilities are safe for everyone to use, with cleaning, facilities management, pavement gritting if needed and traffic management support;
• Creating a new mobile unit for vaccinations to be delivered from our fleet and ready for use this month;
• Providing staff support, with our school nurses helping to deliver vaccinations and drivers for the mobile unit and support vehicles;
• Making sure the staff groups eligible for priority vaccination are nominated to NHSH and encouraged to take up the vaccine and with Trade Unions updated;
• Connecting with our community resilience groups in case more support is needed with marshalling people at vaccination venues. British Red Cross is marshalling volunteers in the first instance where needed; and
• Helping vulnerable people to attend if required.

The vaccination programme has been designed and developed to prioritise those most at risk of adverse consequences of COVID-19, along with those who care for them.

As of 15 February, 87,698 people have been vaccinated within the NHS Highland area, with these volumes increasing at a steady rate each day.

Forming part of the overall total above, NHS Highland recognised the need to prioritise vaccinations in care homes and were pleased to complete this activity two weeks earlier than the national programme.

In addition, Council staff working in Health and Social Care with a patient/client facing role have also successfully received their first dose of vaccine.

NHS Highland preparations and resources are now in place focussing on immunisation of the next wave of priority groups, those aged between 65-70 years of age.

Professor Boyd Robertson, Chair of NHS Highland, said: “This is a massive undertaking and the challenge really cannot be overstated.  It is thanks to the unstinting efforts of everyone involved throughout NHS Highland that we have been able to deliver the amount of vaccine we have.

He continued:  “Thanks must also go to our partners across the NHS Highland area including The Highland Council who have provided support in various ways to keep the programme on track.”

Chair of the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee, Cllr Linda Munro, said:  “The progress and strong partnership working which has been demonstrated within the vaccination programme to date has been very encouraging and continues to edge us closer to a stage where we can begin to transition out of this emergency and back to some form of normality.

She continued:  “Sustained pace in the vaccination rollout is key and I’m heartened to see the collaborative efforts from NHS Highland, along with support from Highland Council and High Life Highland, ensuring that this momentum is maintained for the benefit of everyone.”

Note to editors:

*Includes Highland Council and Argyll and Bute Council areas.

ENDS