Military medics "very proud" as jab duties end in Belfast

Military medics are withdrawing from Northern Ireland's front-line fight against Covid-19 after ending duties.

About 100 armed forces personnel have been working at the mass vaccination centre in Belfast's SSE Arena.

"We are very proud of what we achieved - 85% of all vaccinations at the SSE have been administered by armed forces personnel," said Air Marshal Sean Reynolds of the RAF.

Earlier this year the military was also deployed in some local hospitals.

In total, more than 500 armed forces staff - army, navy and air force - have been involved in responding to the health emergency in Northern Ireland over the last 12 months.

Their assistance was requested by Stormont.

Those normally based in Great Britain have, between shifts, been stationed at Aldergrove in County Antrim.

For two months at the beginning of 2021, armed forces medics worked alongside nurses at three local hospitals - the Ulster, City and Antrim Area.

More lately, they have been deployed at the SSE Arena, administering an estimated 100,000 jabs, the vast majority of the doses given on site.

Dressed in blue scrubs, they have blended in with NHS staff, unnoticed by the public.

"We have kept a very low profile because we are aware of the sensitivities," said AM Reynolds.

"When we are asked to help, we help. This is just us serving the country."

L/Cpl Leah Clayton-Smith has been in the Army for four years and is normally stationed in Aldershot, England.

After working alongside nurses in a London hospital last winter, she then found herself sent on vaccine duty in Belfast.

"You just get told to go but that's OK," she said.

"We have worked hard here. I hope they have liked us because we have really enjoyed working with them."

A colleague, Cpl Paul Grimmitt, an armed forces medic for nine years, added: "To be honest getting a lot of people vaccinated is what I normally do anyway back at unit.

"But this has been a different scale. Definitely a lot more."

As well as providing staff, there has been some logistical support.

An old Army site in Holywood, County Down, has been used to store medical equipment and some of its buildings adapted to act as an emergency mortuary, but it has not been required.

Critically-ill patients have also been air-lifted by the RAF to hospital in England on several occasions.

The military support has largely been free of political controversy.

However, Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan did provoke a row in January when he said he was concerned Army staff would "get in the way of real professionals".

Health Minister Robin Swann has paid tribute to the military, as this phase of support came to an end.

"Before you leave, I want to put on record my thanks," he said in a video message.

"We are very grateful to have had your expertise.

"You have provided much needed relief at a time when our workforce faced huge challenges."