A NEW site has been announced for the Dunfermline COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

The service, which covers most of the population of West Fife and is currently based in the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, will now move into Dunfermline East Church.

Karen Nolan, Clinical Services Manager for Fife’s Immunisation Programme, said: "More than 880,000 vaccinations in Fife have now been carried out since the start of the vaccination programme.

"This has not only helped prevent some of the most vulnerable in our community from becoming seriously unwell, it has also helped reduce hospital admissions and is enabling us all to get back to doing many of the things we were unable to at the height on the pandemic.

"The virus hasn’t gone away, however, and it remains as important as ever to keep up to date with our COVID-19 vaccinations.

"The new clinic at Dunfermline East Church will play a really important role in helping us to continue to protect local people against COVID-19 and its effects in the weeks and months to come."

Since September the clinic has made use of the old DW Sports store after replacing the original location at Carnegie Conference Centre.

The new site has been chosen due to it's considerable size, dedicated parking, and good public transport links due to the large supermarket nearby.

Several potential venues were considered for suitability, assessing factors like wheelchair access, clinical waste disposal and whether safe physical distancing requirements could be met.

The service has delivered thousands of jabs since it's opening and has been crucial in Fife's vaccination programme.

It was deemed necessary that it moved due to the lifting of restrictions and the subsequent recovery of the retail sector.

Ms Nolan added: "We want to place on record our thanks to the management of Kingsgate Shopping Centre for their help and support over recent months.

"This support has allowed us to perform tens of thousands of vaccinations over the course of the last nine months, enabling us to provide flexible and accessible clinics which have helped to protect people from West Fife and beyond against the virus."

Vaccines have been given out in Fife since December 2020 and since then more than 880,000 have been carried out in the Kingdom.

The new centre will also provide pneumococcal and shingles vaccinations for those eligible.

Preparations will soon be underway and there is no planned interruption in provision while the relocation takes place.