Almost 150 people received their Covid-19 vaccine at an historic Balmoral Show this year. The show was held later than usual this year because of Covid-19 restrictions and marked the first show since before the pandemic began in 2019. Visitors to the showgrounds were required to show either proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test as a condition of entry. The figures provided to Agriland showed a total of 143 people popped into the makeshift vaccination centre based ringside at the show.

South Eastern Health Care Trust, which was running the centre, added that of those, 93 received their first dose of the vaccine, while a further 50 became fully vaccinated.

Across Northern Ireland, the latest figures show that more than 2.5 million vaccinations have been administered. The figure includes 1.3 million first doses, 1.2 million second doses, and 6,400 boosters. It equates to 88.8% of the adult population in Northern Ireland now being vaccinated. The proportion is highest among the over 50s, with virtually all over 60s in the region vaccinated, and lowest among the 18 to 29 age band, where one in four still have not received the jab. The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society declined to say how many people attended this year's show, but said numbers "were around two-thirds" of the normal turnout. The society also gave no indication of what proportion of the crowd it estimated had been fully vaccinated.
BALMORAL SHOW COVID-19