Pop-up vaccination clinic in Gortin

THE Western Health and Social Care Trust will offer a unique vaccination opportunity to farmers attending Gortin’s agricultural mart next Monday evening.

Local people of all ages from the surrounding rural area, as efforts continue to make vaccinations as accessible as possible for the public, including traditionally hard-to-reach groups.

Located in the Owenkillew Centre, just off Gortin’s main street, the pop-up vaccination clinic will run from 4.00pm to 8.00pm on Monday July 4, and will provide first dose, second dose and booster jabs of the Pfizer vaccine to all those eligible from age five and up. No booking is required, but ID must be provided.

The clinic has been timetabled to coincide with the hugely popular weekly sheep mart, with those travelling to Gortin to view or sell animals, and who might find themselves with some time to spare, encouraged to factor in a trip to the pop-up vaccination centre.

The Western Trust’s Senior Manager for Health Improvement, Equality and Involvement, Siobhan O’Donnell, has called on all those eligible to make the most of the opportunity to come forward and ensure they are fully vaccinated.

Mr O’Donnell said, “We all know that farmers are busy people. They don’t work a ‘9 to 5’ and for a raft of reasons may not have been able to avail of our vaccine clinics elsewhere. So this time, we’re taking the clinic to them.

“This is a first for us; we’ve been at events, in shopping centres, but this is the first time we’ve taken a vaccine clinic to farming families, so hopefully they will respond in their numbers.

“Despite an easing of restrictions, COVID-19 has not gone away, and we are seeing increased numbers of people with COVID in our local communities, as well as requiring hospital admission. Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community, and I would encourage anyone who is eligible to come forward. You are not fully vaccinated unless you have received all available jabs, including a booster where appropriate, to ensure the highest level of immunity.”