Major milestone reached in vaccination programme
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The vaccination programme will complete first doses for all over 18s who have attended their scheduled appointments at close of play today.
Second doses continue to be scheduled and it is expected all adults will have received them by Sunday, September 12 as confirmed numbers push towards the 3million mark.
Some of those eligible have rearranged their initial appointment for health or work reasons and will get their first dose shortly.
Anyone else who has not yet received their first dose for whatever reason is urged to head to a local drop-in clinic or go to NHS Inform to book an appointment convenient for them.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “It is testament to the incredible work being done by all those involved in the vaccination programme that we have reached this milestone of giving first doses to all those who attended their scheduled appointments.
“I want to thank them and of course, everyone who has taken up their offer of a vaccine as each and every one is playing their part in helping us out of the pandemic and of course, protecting themselves and those around them.
“For anyone who hasn’t yet come forward, we urge you to do so now.
"We have made getting a vaccination easier than ever – head to one of the drop-in clinics being offered across the country or, if you prefer, book an appointment online at NHS Inform.
"Please check your NHS board’s social media posts for the latest information on where you can attend.
“All of the evidence says that the vaccines are working as we continue to battle the faster-transmitting Delta variant which is now dominant so I urge everyone to take advantage of the vaccination programme which is open to every adult in Scotland.”
However the true situation is more complicated.
Almost a third of younger adults are still unvaccinated despite all over-18s being offered a first dose vaccine appointment by the end of Sunday.
National clinical director Prof Jason Leitch said last week that uptake of the vaccine among 18-29 year olds had been slower than for other age groups.
Figures published by Public Health Scotland on Saturday, showed that 31.6 per cent of this age group had still not had their first dose of a vaccine which equates to around 260,000 younger adults still being unvaccinated and only 20 per cent of this age group have had both doses.
Official figures published on Saturday showed that 3,970,026 people have received the first dose of Covid vaccine and 2,954,776 have had their second dose.
