Nicola Sturgeon pledged to make resources available for local health teams to rollout walk-in coronavirus vaccine centres as she pumped the brakes on lockdown easing amid a surge of cases in the north east.
The first minister told the Scottish Parliament that plans to move to the lowest level of restrictions on June 28 will likely be postponed by at least three weeks because caution is needed to provide extra time to push ahead with vaccinations.
Ms Sturgeon said a “significant portion” of the country has not yet been fully vaccinated and that this remains “our biggest vulnerability at this stage – and it is a significant one” with the Covid case rate now five times higher than it was in early May.
It comes as the latest government figures showed cases in Dundee had spiked to 294.7 per 100,000, double the national average and significantly higher than Glasgow, as the city entered the top five council areas for newly reported positive cases.
In a statement at Holyrood on Tuesday, Ms Sturgeon said plans to ease restrictions will “in all probability” be paused and that this will be confirmed following the next scheduled review of protection levels on June 22.
She said: “Given the current situation – and the need to get more people fully vaccinated before we ease up further – it is reasonable to indicate now that I think it unlikely that any part of the country will move down a level from June 28.
“Instead, it is likely that we will opt to maintain restrictions for a further three weeks from June 28 and use that time to vaccinate – with both doses – as many more people as possible.
“Doing that will give us the best chance, later in July, of getting back on track and restoring the much greater normality that we all crave.”
Cases are rising
The announcement means Scotland’s mainland council areas will remain in either level one or level two, although many island communities including Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are already in level zero.
Ms Sturgeon said 6,651 new cases of the virus have been reported over the past week, which compares to 5,475 the week before.
It means cases have risen by more than a fifth over the past seven days, with those aged between 30-39 now making up the largest group of new hospital admissions with confirmed cases of the virus.
We reported last week how vaccinations for people aged 30-39 in Tayside had plummeted amid a push to instead fully vaccinate older groups, with numbers dropping as low as 15 per day despite clinics operating at maximum capacity.
Free walk-in vaccination centres for younger groups were introduced in Glasgow as cases soared to 156 per 100,000 but case rates in Dundee are now even higher.
NHS Tayside has announced that anyone who has waited 12 weeks or more since their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, eight weeks since their first AstraZeneca jab, or are aged over 40 and have not had their first dose are able to visit a number of drop-in centres across the region.
Targeted measures
However North East MSP Liam Kerr called on the first minister to provide Dundee with “targeted measures” like those seen in Glasgow.
He said: “Over the past week, Dundee saw a surge in cases – latest figures show 294.7 cases per 100,000 people.
“This is twice the national average and substantially higher than, for example, Glasgow’s 156.5 cases per 100,000. It is also in the top five highest council areas for newly reported positive cases.
“Other areas like Glasgow have seen targeted measures such as walk-in vaccination centres. Dundee operates one centre for those who have gone longer than 12 weeks for the first dose.
“So will this be extended to those who have not been vaccinated at all, and if not why not?”
‘They will have the support they need’
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would make resources available for walk-in vaccination centres if this is something pursued by local public health officials.
“The local public health teams in Dundee will be deciding on the appropriate response in exactly the same way the local public health team in Glasgow did,” she said.
“And they have the support of the Scottish Government for any assistance or resource that they need to implement any of that.”
Ms Sturgeon said health boards across Scotland will from next week begin bringing forward appointments to meet the new eight-week target for second vaccinations.
She added: “Local health boards of course will use surge testing (and) walk-in clinics as they think appropriate and I’m sure the local health teams in Tayside, as local health teams in Glasgow did very effectively a few weeks ago, will keep local members updated on that and will be very happy to answer more detailed questions from them.”
The first minister confirmed the Scottish Government will also publish a paper outlining what it hopes life will look like beyond level zero – the lowest tier of restrictions – and that this will be accompanied by a review of physical distancing.
Mixed messages
However Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the Scottish Government had put out “mixed messages” and called for action to speed up vaccinations.
He said: “In order to maintain public trust and confidence we need consistent communications, consistent decision-making, adequate support for businesses and employees alongside a robust vaccination programme, and hot-spot protocols.
“I accept what the first minister has said around the delay, but there has been mixed messages that I think do not help maintain public trust.
“We have also seen inconsistent decision making: why is it okay to have 3,000 fans at a fan zone, but parents cannot attend a nursery graduation outdoors?”
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Ms Sturgeon and national clinical director, Jason Leitch, “don’t seem to be on the same page” after Prof Leitch said on Monday that it could be September before Scotland moves to level zero.
Accusing the first minister of attempting to dodge answering if that is the government’s position, Mr Ross said: “People all over the country will be frustrated at the news that restrictions may continue for weeks or even months.
“We had all hoped for a summer of freedom – but this stubborn virus is determined to keep us scunnered instead. We are all thoroughly fed up with Covid and the damaging consequences it’s having on jobs, businesses and people’s mental and physical health.”
Drop-in vaccination clinics
NHS Tayside’s vaccination teams are running drop-in clinics at vaccination centres across the region this week.
Anyone who is at 12 weeks or more since their first dose of either Pfizer or AstraZeneca can drop in to:
- Caird Hall, Dundee: Monday 14 – Sunday 20 June, 10am-6pm
- Dewars Centre, Perth: Monday 14 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
- Blairgowrie Town Hall: Wednesday 16 – Sunday 20 June, 10am-6pm
- Reid Hall, Forfar: Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
- Arbroath Community Centre: Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
- Montrose Town Hall: Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
Anyone over 40 who has not had their first vaccine (AstraZeneca only) or anyone who is more than eight weeks since their first AstraZeneca vaccine can drop in to:
- Caird Hall, Dundee: Monday 14 – Sunday 20 June, 10am-6pm
- Dens Park Ticket Office Car Park, Dundee (vaccination bus) – Wednesday 16 June, 10am-6pm
- Stack Leisure Park, beside former cinema, Dundee (vaccination bus) – Thursday 17 June, 10am-6pm
- Dewars Centre, Perth: Monday 14 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
- Reid Hall, Forfar: Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
- Arbroath Community Centre: Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
- Montrose Town Hall: Tuesday 15 June, 10am-7pm & Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 June, 2-6pm
If you are in one of these groups you can drop in to any of these sessions, no appointment is needed.