Mass vaccination centres in Edinburgh, West Lothian and Aberdeen poised to open on Monday

The first mass vaccination centres in the east of Scotland are set to open on Monday, with capacity for up to 20,000 doses a week.

Staff at the P&J Live in Aberdeen, the Strathbrock Partnership Centre in Broxburn, West Lothian, and the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) have been vaccinating each other in preparation this week, with both centres ready to fully open from Monday.

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 will have capacity for over 20,000 people a week. Picture: Andy O'Brien.

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

The NHS Louisa Jordan mass vaccination centre in Glasgow has been operating since December 8, carrying out 1,000–5,000 vaccinations daily. The facility has the capacity to move to 10,000 per day.

Health secretary Jeane Freeman thanked those involved in setting up the centres at the coronavirus daily briefing on Friday.

"I would like to thank all those involved in setting up the mass vaccination centres in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and, of course, the NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian staff who will be delivering the vaccines,” she said.

The centre is due to open on Monday. Picture: Andy O'Brien.

“It is testament to all those working hard to roll-out the vaccination programme that major logistical operations such as these are up and running despite the current restrictions.”

David Small, head of NHS Lothian’s vaccination programme, said it was a “really exciting and significant moment .”

“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.

Picture: Andy O'Brien.