Mrs Erskine said,
“Rotating a mass vaccination centre between Omagh and Enniskillen does not send out the right message at this hugely important time.
The more people who receive vaccines and booster jabs in the coming days the more protection we will have against the rising number of Omicron cases.
The rotation system between Enniskillen and Omagh will inhabit some people from getting their vaccinations and boosters before Christmas. We know that people will be socialising more with friends and family over the Christmas period and that is one of the reasons we want to see as many people receive their booster as possible.
It is important that people look at all the options open to them, in particular community pharmacies who are also administering vaccinations. However, we have seen the huge uptake though walk-in mass vaccination centres in other parts of Northern Ireland and to leave the entirety of Co Fermanagh without such provision doesn't help encourage the level of uptake that we all want to see.
There should be a re-think of this provision with the Western Trust to make provision for services to be provided in both Omagh and Fermanagh. There would obviously be a resource and personnel requirement to carry this out, but if the Trust require such assistance then it would be important they flag this up with the Department of Health.
Given the huge national effort which is being placed on the booster jab campaign currently it would be a mistake to leave a large area of Northern Ireland such as Co Fermanagh without equivalent provision to other areas."
