17/09/2021
Farewell to Caird Hall after 135,000 jabs
After eight months and 135,000 vaccinations, the community vaccination centre at Caird Hall will host its final day of jabs on Monday, 20 September.
With all adults in Tayside now having been offered both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, NHS Tayside is preparing to move on to the next stage of the vaccination programme, which includes COVID vaccines for young people aged 12-15, COVID booster jabs and seasonal flu vaccinations.
Drop-ins will continue at local venues in communities across Dundee for anyone who is eligible and who hasn’t yet had their first or second vaccine. The vaccination team will then move to a new city centre venue for the wider seasonal flu and COVID booster vaccination programme.
NHS Tayside Chief Executive Grant Archibald said, “The Caird Hall has been a really important part of our vaccination programme and I want to thank every single person who has been involved in this.
“From our vaccinators, administrative and support staff, security and marshal teams, to colleagues in Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, Dundee City Council, Leisure and Culture Dundee and the armed forces, it has been a fantastic example of partnership working to get the venue set up and deliver a programme of this scale.
"I would also like to give a special mention to the volunteers and our third sector partners who have given willingly and freely of their time to support the programme. We are extremely grateful for your ongoing support during this challenging time.
“A huge thank you also goes to everyone who has attended the centre, come rain or shine, and rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated.”
Associate Director of Public Health Dr Daniel Chandler said, “The programme has been a great success so far, with more than 600,000 vaccines delivered and very high levels of uptake, particularly amongst our older and more vulnerable populations. As we move into the next phase we will continue to make vaccination as accessible as we can by continuing to offer drop-in sessions at community venues across the city while we get our new Dundee vaccination centre set up.
“I would encourage anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to take up the opportunity and head down to the Caird Hall this weekend, or to one of our pop-up clinics, and get the jab.”
Council leader John Alexander said, “I’m really proud of the way that all of Team Dundee, including City Council, Leisure and Culture Dundee and Health and Social Care Partnership staff, have worked together to deliver the community vaccination centre.
“From the initial transformation of the hall into a vaccine facility in just a few days, to the ongoing support for many tens of thousands of people attending, it has been a massive undertaking and the whole city is grateful to all of those who made it happen.
“Thank you too to everyone who has been down to get vaccinated.”
Full details of drop-ins taking place across Tayside can be found at www.covidtayside.scot.nhs.uk or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
