Former Fife M&S store to become mass vaccination centre

The former M&S store in Kirkcaldy is to become a mass coronavirus vaccination centre.

More than 190,000 Fifers have already had their first jabs at clinics across the Kingdom.

But with the likely completion of first doses for the first nine priority groups in the coming weeks, plans are now under way to expand the programme to all other adults in the coming months.

Four mass vaccination sites are planned across the Kingdom to meet demand - though jabs will still be given out by appointment only.

The former shop on Kirkcaldy High Street, which closed in 2019, is the first location to be confirmed. It is expected to be operational by next month.

The retailer - which retains the lease on the unit - is offering its use free of charge.

Shona Lawrie, M&S regional manager, said: "As soon as we were approached to see if our former store was suitable, we were determined to pull out all the stops to make it happen.

"M&S is extremely proud to get involved – we think it is a brilliant idea to use this site and we’re keen to do all we can to help NHS Fife and the Scottish Government accelerate the rollout of the vaccination programme."

Scott Garden, NHS Fife's director of pharmacy and medicines, said: "We want offer our most sincere thanks to M&S for the generous offer of the use of their former store on Kirkcaldy High Street for use as a mass vaccination clinic.

"With the overwhelming majority of those in our priority groups now having received their first vaccination, it’s vital that we adapt the delivery of the programme in order that we can carry out the volumes necessary to vaccinate our younger adult population.

"Clinics such as the one planned on Kirkcaldy High Street will provide significant capacity to will ensure that we can perform as many vaccinations as the vaccine supply allows.

"A considerable amount of work has been carried out over recent months to assess potential sites and carry out the necessary adaptations to ensure that they are suitable to safely host the volumes of people intended to be using these clinics.

"While the scale of the Covid-19 vaccination programme here in Fife is unlike anything we have ever undertaken, we are really encouraged with the considerable progress made and remain confident that we are well-placed as we transition into the next phase of the programme."