Teens are targets for vaccination clinics which have extended opening hours to treat them

And it has determinedly extended the opening hours of its clinics so that the teenagers can fit this in with their school or college schedules.

The drop-in covid-19 vaccination clinics at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility and the Alistair McCoist Complex are now open every day from 8.15am to 8.30pm.

All other local clinics are open from 8.15am to 5.15pm.

The extended opening times will be in place until the end of August.

In Bellshill’s case, the Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex will be offering vaccinations today (Wednesday), Monday August 23, Tuesday, August 24 and Wednesday August 25.

Dr Mark Russell, Lead for the covid-19 vaccination programme in Lanarkshire, said: “We want to make getting a covid-19 vaccine as easy as possible, particularly for the younger age groups.

"So we have extended opening times of our drop-in clinics and people can attend any clinic across Lanarkshire and, indeed, Scotland.

“Schools are about to return and young people are heading off to university, so we want to encourage them to get vaccinated, to give them that added layer of protection.

" Our extended clinic times at evenings and weekends should help them attend at a time and place which suits them.”

Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “The programme has always carefully assessed all the benefits and potential risks and offered vaccine to groups where this benefit is clear.

"The research and evidence shows that is the case for this age group and they should now be called forward for an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine.”

These younger patients will be given the Pfizer BioNTech variant in a programme that health chiefs hope to complete by the end of September.

Details on all drop-in clinics are published on our website at www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/covid-19-vaccine/#clinics

Details are also published daily on NHS Lanarkshire’s social media channels -Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.