Vaccine bus hits the road to provide more college clinics

Following the successful Darlington College pop-up clinic, the Council’s vaccine bus will be heading to Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College on Wednesday (15 September) to provide vaccines for students and staff.

Over 75 16- and 17-year-olds were vaccinated at the town’s first college pop-up clinic, which made both first and second doses of Pfizer available at the pop-up bus clinic outside of Darlington College.

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

The team will also be providing vaccinations from the bus for sixth form students and staff at Carmel College on Thursday (16 September).

In line with current NHS guidance, any student aged between 16 and 17 and three quarters who attends the clinic will be fully vaccinated, as they will only need one dose.

Older students or members of staff aged 18 and over can also have their first vaccination at the pop-up but to have their second, it must have been at least eight weeks since their first dose.

Tim Fisher, Principal at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to offer our students and staff the opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID right here at the college.

“We hope that as many eligible students as possible take this opportunity to get their vaccinations at the college’s pop-up clinic, which will help us to continue providing our high standard of face-to-face teaching safely.”

Councillor Kevin Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Health and Housing at Darlington Borough Council, said: “Now that the autumn term has started, it is expected that our town will see a rise in COVID cases, particularly amongst teens and their households. 

“It is therefore really important that students come forward for their vaccinations, which will not only help protect themselves from the virus, but also their friends, families and our wider communities across Darlington.”

Anyone in Darlington over the age of 16 can visit The Darlington Arena Vaccination Centre for their first or second dose of Pfizer, every day from 10am until 6pm, no appointment necessary.