28/01/2021
The public are being asked not to turn up too early for their COVID-19 vaccination appointments. At the Airport Vaccination Hub today, a significant number of people have been arriving at least thirty minutes early for their appointments, with some as early as an hour before, leading to queues.
People have also been visiting the airport to view the facility and its operation ahead of a vaccination appointment scheduled for a future date.
Minister for Health and Social Care, David Ashford MHK, said:
'The vaccination hub at the airport has been designed for a high throughput of over 400 vaccinations either morning or afternoon, which I am pleased to say we are achieving.
'It is understandable that people wish to arrive in good time for their vaccination, however I would ask that people arrive no more than 10 minutes ahead of their appointment. Arriving too early is leading to queues for parking and to enter the hub given the social distancing requirements.
'I understand that people will be anxious and curious, but I would ask the public not to visit the facility ahead of the day of their appointment as this places unnecessary pressure on the surrounding roads and car parking.'
The Minister continued:
'The facility is working as planned and the team have done a fantastic job bringing it online. We will be making some changes as part of our first day review, which includes exploring options for shelters outside and looking to stagger the numbers of wheelchair access drop offs, however I hope this appeal for people to think about how early they arrive will help rectify the situation.'