Coronavirus in Scotland: Mass vaccination centres open in Edinburgh and Aberdeen

The P&J Live in Aberdeen, the Strathbrock Partnership Centre in Broxburn, West Lothian, and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) are ready to open from today.

The EICC will have capacity to vaccinate more than 21,000 people a week at 45 stations, while Strathbrock will have six stations, and capacity for just under 2,400 people.

It will move to Pyramids Business Park on February 15, after which staff will be able to get through over 14,000 people a week.

The centre in Aberdeen will start with 20 booths, vaccinating around 6,000 people weekly.

Some GP surgeries have already begun the vaccinations for this next priority group, which also includes people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and over-16s on the shielding list.

Over-70s will also receive jabs at smaller centres such as village halls.

A drive-through vaccination centre will be launched on February 10 at Queen Margaret University in East Lothian.

David Small, head of NHS Lothian’s vaccination programme, said: “We have been planning, checking and cross-checking to make sure everything will be as safe and as smooth an experience as possible for people on Monday as we embark on the largest vaccination project of its kind,” he said.

“It has taken a lot of work, in such a short time to get us to the point where we can begin delivering the lifesaving vaccine to thousands of people across Lothian. I’m really proud of all of the work and effort from all of our teams."

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