Residents at Bearsden care home first for covid jab in Glasgow health board area

Vaccinations of residents in Abbotsford House Care Home in Bearsden began this morning (Thursday, December 17).

The programme has been open to care home staff and front line workers from the area, many of whom have already been immunised in preparation for the wider rollout. But this will be the first time that elderly care home residents from the region have been vaccinated in the facility in which they live.

Mr James Livingston who was the first resident to receive the vaccine said: “I am glad to be seeing the back of this bug!” and Fiona Kemp, Manager of the Abbotsford House Care Home said “I am thoroughly enjoying being part of something so special.”

Commenting, Caroline Sinclair, Chief Officer of East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership said “we are delighted to be able start rolling out the vaccination programme to our care home residents in East Dunbartonshire.

“This represents a huge step forward in keeping people safe and well and ultimately reconnecting people living in care homes with their families, friends and communities”.

Dr Linda De Caestecker, Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “Vaccination of care home staff got underway at NHS Louisa Jordan last week and many staff took up the early opportunity to be immunised. We are pleased now to be in a position to deliver the vaccine to care home residents which will go a long way to protecting some of our most vulnerable.

“I’d like to thank all of the staff involved in the preparation of and delivery of the vaccine. It is testament to their hard work that we’ve been able to rapidly roll out the programme across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“While we are delighted we’re now able to vaccinate care home residents, although we have to be clear this does not mean that people should begin to relax.

“Everyone must still follow the guidelines on minimising the spread of the virus. COVID-19 is still very much with us, and much work is to be done before we get back to any sense of normality so it’s crucial now as we enter the festive period, that everyone continues to do work hard to help supress the virus.”