East Lothian Health and Social Partnership’s vaccination bus was launched on 2 November.
Its aim was to additional local access options to COVID-19 boosters and flu jabs for ‘priority groups’ including people aged over 70 and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
More than 800 people attended the bus for vaccination over its first four days of operation. Due to extremely high level of interest in the service which resulted in long queues, lengthy waiting times and local traffic disruption, the Health and Social Care Partnership decided to review how the bus operates.
Over the coming weeks, the Health and Social Care Partnership will deliver an outreach programme for under-vaccinated groups to ensure that everyone who wants to is able to take up the offer of vaccination. We will work with our trusted local partners to identify these eligible groups.
This means that the vaccination bus will now operate on an appointment/referral basis only. Vaccinations will not be available on a drop-in basis.
Our expectation is that the majority of people living in East Lothian who are eligible will receive their flu and COVID booster vaccinations at one of our clinics in Musselburgh Primary Care Centre or East Lothian Community Hospital in Haddington.
Please be assured that if you are over 70 or Clinically Extremely Vulnerable and have already received your flu vaccination but are now eligible for your COVID booster, you should expect to receive an appointment letter from NHS Lothian in the coming weeks.
If you are invited to attend an appointment on the vaccination bus, please be aware that:
- You may sometimes have to wait a short while to be seen
- You will also need to wait for 15 minutes after your vaccination
- All waiting will be outside the bus, so please dress appropriately for the Scottish weather
- The team may feel it appropriate to prioritise those in the queue who are more frail or vulnerable – we appreciate everyone’s understanding with this