Western Trust urges booster uptake as Derry vaccine centre marks major milestone

It has now administered over 300,000 doses of Covid vaccine, a monumental effort by the vaccination teams and the support staff around them.

This is a combination of first dose, second dose and booster jabs across a range of settings.

However, key to the success of the programme has been the role played by the Mass Vaccination Centres at Foyle Arena, Omagh Leisure Complex and the Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen, which this week marked one year since their opening on December 21, 2020.

Of the 300,000 doses administered by the Western Trust, approximately 85 percent of these have been at a Mass Vaccination Centre, underlining the integral role they have played in helping get as many people jabbed as possible.

Since their reopening on December 15 to help accelerate the booster programme, the Western Trust’s three centres have seen huge numbers of people coming forward for vaccinations, with some days topping 2000 jabs and over 10,000 doses administered in the first six days.

Western Trust HR Director and Vaccination Programme Lead, Karen Hargan, has thanked both the Derry City and Strabane and the Fermanagh and Omagh District Councils and their staff for their ongoing support by making their flagship centres available for the Trust to use.

“The support which we have received from the Councils and their staff has been unwavering, and we are indebted to them for allowing us to avail of their facilities and to Council staff for supporting the programme on the ground. For us to have such available spaces allows us to deal with the volumes of people we need to in order to bring ambitious plans to fruition.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing staff, who time and again over the past 12 months have been called upon to step up to the challenge. It is impossible to express our gratitude to them for the incredible work they have done, and continue to do.

“We continue to operate in a period of great uncertainty, but what we do know is that vaccination is saving lives and helping to reduce the number of people entering our hospitals as a result of COVID. We must continue to do all we can to help protect ourselves and our communities, to continue to follow the guidance and not allow ourselves to show complacency,” she said.

Anyone who is aged 18+, who received their second dose jab more than 12 weeks ago, is now eligible for a Booster. The reopening of the Mass Vaccination Centres has also seen a substantial volume of people coming forward to receive a first dose, or a second dose having missed their original second dose slot at the time.

All three centres are open to both booked appointments and walk-ins each day, with weekend and evening slots also available. The number of walk-in slots available each day are limited, so online booking is encouraged to help with the smooth flow of numbers at the centre, and also to help avoid lengthy waiting times.

With the emergence of the new Omicron variant, and with COVID numbers in the community once again high, ensuring that a full complement of vaccinations has been received at the earliest available opportunity.

The timetable for the Western Trust’s vaccination clinic at the Foyle Arena over the Christmas period is as follows:

Wed 22/12/21 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Thurs 23/12/21 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Fri 24/12/21 - CLOSED

Sat 25/12/21 - CLOSED

Sun 26/12/21 - CLOSED

Mon 27/12/21 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Tues 28/12/21 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Wed 29/12/21 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Thurs 30/12/21 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Fri 31/12/21 - 9.00am - 12.00pm

Sat 1/1/22 - CLOSED

Sun 2/1/22 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Mon 3/1/22 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Tues 4/1/22 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Wed 5/1/22 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Thurs 6/1/22 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Fri 7/1/22 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Sat 8/1/22 - 9.00am - 8.00pm

Sun 9/1/22 - 9.00am - 5.00pm

Remember that you can also book a first, second or Booster dose of Moderna vaccine at your local participating community pharmacy, regardless of what first dose vaccine you received. You can find details of participating pharmacies here.

To find the most up to date information on the Western Trust vaccination programme, visit the Western Trust Vaccination Webpage

If you are planning to attend one of our Centres, Pop Up or Mobile Vaccination Clinics, please do not do so if you:

Are currently unwell with a high temperature or fever

Have had a first positive test for COVID-19 in the last 28 Days

You have been advised to self-isolate

Anyone attending a walk in clinic is reminded to wear a face covering (unless exempt for medical reasons), adhere to social distancing rules and bring along their Health and Care Number (HCN) and ID if possible.