Organised by the Department of Health, the “Jabbathon” programme will involve 60 walk-in clinics hosted across approximately 30 campuses – offering first jabs to students across Northern Ireland’s universities and Further Education colleges.

The scheme was announced by Health Minister Robin Swann and is seen as a major push to help vaccinate more students in Northern Ireland.

It forms part of the ongoing vaccination push, as the take-up rate for first doses comes close to 90 per cent of the adult population and will include clinics at: North West Regional College Campuses at Limavady, Strand Road and Strabane; as well as Ulster University, Magee Campus, South West College Campuses in Omagh, Erne and Skills Centre and CAFRE, Enniskillen.

These clinics will run in addition to the ongoing programme of localised walk-in mobile clinics for everyone aged 16 and over across the Western Trust area.

The Health Minister stated: “I very much welcome the “Jabbathon” initiative and thank all those across the health and further and higher education sectors for their work in making this happen.

“A growing number of young people have been coming forward to get their jab and I am sure this extensive programme of targeted walk-in clinics will further increase take-up.

Commenting on the roll out of the initiative in the West, Western Trust Director of Director of Performance and Service Improvement and Vaccine Programme Lead, Teresa Molloy, said:

“We have come so far in terms of the vaccination programme here in the Western Trust area, but we are in no way complacent. Covid is still very much with us and it is vitally important that everyone takes advantage of the offer to get vaccinated.

“Everyone who takes up the vaccination is helping keep their family, friends and the wider community safe from the worst effects of Covid. By getting vaccinated, students will be playing a vital part in getting normality back and therefore reducing the threat of disruption to their education and all aspects of student life.

“We are working hard to ensure access to the vaccine is easy for everyone and by running these clinics we will be providing the perfect opportunity for those young people who want to get their jab to be able to do so and we urge those students to take up the offer.”

The Western Trust will be running the following list of clinics as part of the “Jabbathon” initiative:

15/09/21 1.00pm-5.00pm South West College, Erne

21/09/21 10.30am-1.30pm South West College, Skills Centre

21/09/21 3.00pm-6.00pm CAFRE School, Enniskillen

23/09/21 4.00pm-8.00pm South West College, Erne

To find out about more about the Western Trust vaccination programme please visit the Western Trust Vaccination Info page.