Let’s get those sleeves rolled up for the fight against coronavirus

The campaign emphasises the importance of the Covid-19 vaccine and its safety, highlighting that it is the best way out of coronavirus, as it offers the best protection.

Delivery of the vaccination programme is underway, led by local NHS Boards who will contact those eligible when it’s time to arrange their vaccination appointment.

Those currently being vaccinated include residents of care homes for older people and their carers, frontline health and social care workers, and those aged 80 years and over in line with the prioritisation list set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Both aged over 80, David and Moira Peters recently received the Covid-19 vaccine at their local GP practice.

David said: “We feel really privileged to have had our first vaccination dose.

“While instantly you feel a load taken off your shoulders having lived with the threat of the virus for nearly a year, it’s important that we continue to be cautious to allow the vaccine to become effective and to ensure we don’t pass coronavirus onto others.

“What the vaccine does is give us hope for the future. Being able to share and celebrate the important things in life with our friends and family, that perhaps we all took for granted, will be very special indeed.”

The Scottish Government has set out its plans for the roll out of the vaccination programme, which will see a total of 4.5 million people in Scotland offered the vaccine.

Those aged 70 and over and the clinically extremely vulnerable, including those on the shielding list, will receive their first vaccine dose by mid-February.

Those aged over 65 will receive their first doses by the beginning of March.

And vaccination of the wider adult population will commence once the remainder of the JCVI priority groups are complete by early May.

People are being encouraged to adhere to the restrictions in place and follow the FACTS guidance to protect themselves and slow the spread of the virus whilst the vaccination programme is rolled out.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Vaccination offers us greater protection against Covid-19 and it offers us hope that this year will be a brighter one.

“It is another vital tool in our work to suppress the virus, but other measures including testing, and lockdown restrictions remain absolutely essential to suppress Covid to the lowest possible level in Scotland.

“These three critical actions will help us protect the NHS and save lives, towards a brighter year ahead.

“However, we don’t yet know how well vaccination stops people transmitting the virus to others – which is why it’s essential people protect the progress we’ve made, and continue to follow the restrictions currently in place, whether they have been vaccinated or not, while vaccine delivery is rolled out across the country.”

Interim Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Dave Caesar added:

“No matter which vaccine you receive, each has passed a rigorous three-phase testing process, reviewed by independent regulatory and advisory bodies to ensure it is safe and effective.

“Your local NHS health board will be in touch with you to arrange your vaccination appointment when you are eligible, and I encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible to do so.

“However, vaccination on its own it won’t be enough to win the race against this virus.

“ Each one of us needs to do all we can – following the guidance, abiding closely to the restrictions, washing our hands, wearing face coverings, maintaining two-metre distance from each other – everything we can to slow down the spread of the virus and suppress its prevalence as low as we can, so that increasing vaccination can do the job we need it to do.

“Doing all of that will help you protect yourself, protect the NHS and save lives.”

For more information visit NHS Inform