College students urged to grab a jab on vaccine bus

Students and staff at Darlington College will be able to grab a jab on the Council’s vaccine bus, which will be parked on site this Wednesday (8 September).

The clinic, which will be staffed by the same NHS team who run the Darlington Arena Vaccination Centre, will offer first and second doses of Pfizer to anyone over the age of 16 from 9am until 3pm.

Students aged between 16 and 17 and three quarters will only need to have one vaccination.

Any student or member of staff at the college who is aged 18 and over can have their first vaccination at the pop-up but if they want to have their second, it must have been at least eight weeks since their first dose.

Kate Roe, Principal and Chief Executive at Darlington College, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer an onsite pop-up vaccine clinic to our students and staff this early in the new term.

“We want our students to enjoy the full college experience in a safe learning environment that allows both staff and students to benefit from in person teaching – which is especially important for our vocational courses.

“We hope they will take advantage of being vaccinated during the first full week of term so that they can help to keep themselves, their friends and the wider college community safe by doing their bit to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

Councillor Kevin Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Health and Housing at Darlington Borough Council, said: “It’s fantastic that our vaccine bus can be utilised at the college to offer easier and more accessible vaccinations to students and staff.

“The bus has already started providing pop-up clinics at areas across the town with low vaccination uptake, and now we are proud to be able to offer clinics to colleges and sixth forms, where the risk of COVID-19 transmission will be higher as the new term begins.

“We urge everyone who can visit the clinic on Wednesday to take the opportunity to grab a jab, which will help us to keep Darlington on the right track towards a more normal way of life.”

The Darlington Arena Vaccination Centre will also be offering daily walk-in clinics for first and second doses of Pfizer from 10am until 6pm.