Covid-19 vaccine begins its roll-out in Scotland

The Covid-19 vaccine is beginning its roll-out in Scotland and the UK today.

A 90-year-old grandmother in Coventry became the first person in the world to receive the approved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine earlier this morning, as the largest immunisation programme in NHS history began.

Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, said it was the “best early birthday present”.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she “got a lump in her throat” watching a video of the first Covid-19 vaccination being administered.

She tweeted: “Feels like such a milestone moment after a tough year for everyone. The first vaccines in Scotland will be administered today too.”

Got a bit of a lump in the throat watching this. Feels like such a milestone moment after a tough year for everyone.
The first vaccines in Scotland will be administered today too. https://t.co/KKaEhf19Jo

— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 8, 2020

The first vaccinations against the virus will begin at 23 centres across Scotland today, with those who are lined up to administer the injection to others receiving it first.

They will be followed by residents in care homes from December 14, their carers and other frontline health workers, before prioritising those over 80 “as supplies allow”.

On Monday, Ms Sturgeon met staff co-ordinating the vaccine at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

The First Minister had a tour of the facility and learned about the detailed preparation which has gone into organising the delivery of the vaccine.

Speaking at the hospital yesterday, Ms Sturgeon said: “I’m grateful to everyone involved in giving this vaccine to those who need it most.

“By vaccinating the priority groups they will be covering those associated with 99 per cent of preventable Covid-19 deaths. That is a very compelling reason to put these groups first in the queue for this vaccine.

“Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. But I ask everyone to be patient as we work our way through this vaccination programme, and continue to follow FACTS to keep us all safe.”

‘I’m sure the NHS across Scotland and across the whole of the UK is up to the challenge’

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Good Morning Scotland the next doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will arrive next week.

He said: “The next scheduled arrival will be next week and the numbers depend on how quickly Pfizer can manufacture it.

“It is being manufactured in Belgium and obviously right across the UK the job is to be able to get the vaccinations done as quickly as the manufacturer can create it, so we’ve been all working together really closely, the UK Government, which has been buying the vaccine and getting it delivered into the country, and then the NHS in the four nations of the UK.”

Asked how quickly the vaccine can arrive and in what sort of numbers, he replied: “We’ve got a broad schedule, there will be several million for the UK as a whole, so several hundred thousand for Scotland over the remainder of this month.

“We’ve got that as a broad delivery schedule but obviously the manufacturing process itself is complicated, so we’ve got to get the stuff in the country and then once it’s in the country we can be confident that we’re able to deliver it, and I’m sure the NHS across Scotland and across the whole of the UK is up to the challenge.”