Coronavirus: Buses converted to help COVID-19 booster drive to all corners of county

A Shropshire Council bus that usually takes children to school and people to social day care centres is going on a new journey – joining the area’s COVID-19 booster and vaccination drive.

The bus was stripped of its seats and converted into a mobile vaccination unit that NHS teams can use across the area for pop-up clinics as part of the effort to get COVID-19 booster jabs and vaccinations to 160,000 people in the area by the New Year.

This is in addition to one of the council’s buses, nicknamed Bob, which has been in use since earlier in the year, and will be out and about again from Saturday starting with a pop-up clinic at Shrewsbury Town’s home game against Cheltenham Town tomorrow (Saturday 17 December 2021), supported by Shropshire Council staff who will be on hand to offer advice and hand out home testing kits.

The second bus Betty has now been converted into a mobile vaccination unit with changes such as privacy screens, power connections and heating added to allow NHS teams to set up the clinics wherever Betty parks. She will make her first outing offering jabs in the Telford area, also tomorrow (Saturday 17 December).

Both buses will be used to target communities where people may have difficulty getting to COVID-19 vaccination/booster sessions, and offering these as close to home as possible.

Betty bus – COVID-19 vaccinations mobile bus, with transport staff

Details of where Bob and Betty are going, along with all other walk-in booster and vaccination clinics in Shropshire Telford and Wrekin will be posted here

Lezley Picton, Leader of Shropshire Council, said:-

“These buses will be another important way that we can help to make it as easy as possible for people to get their boosters and vaccinations.

“It’s another way that the council is helping support the region’s effort to get 160,000 in the county fully vaccinated and with their COVID-19 booster jabs by the New Year.

“This, and reducing social contact as much as you can, will be key to helping us to limit the spread of the Omicron variant and well as Delta as much as possible.”

Integrated Care System (ICS) for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin have also welcomed the arrival of Betty onto the road this weekend: click here.

Betty bus – COVID-19 vaccinations mobile bus, with transport staff