Scotland set to vaccinate above 70s against Covid-19 from next week

People in Scotland aged 70 and above will get Covid-19 vaccines in a range of settings from Monday (Feb 1) as the vaccination programme moves to the next stage, Holyrood has announced.

They can avail their vaccines at a range of sites from community centres to mass vaccination centres.

Those aged 70-79 and the clinically extremely vulnerable - including over-16s on the shielding list – started receiving their invitations since last Monday (January 25).

Those who received their vaccine invitations will have received their first dose by mid-February.

Mass vaccination centres, including Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and Aberdeen’s P&J LIVE at TECA, will be in operation from Monday for members of the public with appointments.

NHS staff at these centres have already been vaccinating each other this week as part of their induction.

The EICC will have capacity to vaccinate more than 21,000 people a week at 45 stations.

The centre in Aberdeen will start with 20 booths, vaccinating around 6000 people weekly.

The Louisa Jordan mass vaccination centre in Glasgow has been operating since December 8, carrying out 1,000 to 5,000 vaccinations daily. The facility has the capacity to move to 10,000 per day.

Covid-19 vaccine invitations will be sent to those aged between 65 and 69 in Lothian, Grampian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The 65-69 is the next group on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation priority list.

Other smaller vaccination centres, located in community facilities such as village halls and sports centres, are also opening as the roll-out continues across the country.

The programme for first doses for care home residents, frontline health and social care workers and those aged 80 and over will be completed by February 5.

Scotland's health secretary Jeane Freeman said: “It is testament to all those working hard to roll-out the vaccination programme that major logistical operations such as these are up and running despite the current restrictions.

“I would urge everyone to take up their appointment when they are offered one. The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow. All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”