Experts say a fourth coronavirus vaccination is not yet required to protect vulnerable people from the omicron variant of the disease.
The UK’s joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JVCI) has urged the government to prioritise the rollout of the initial booster dose to all age groups before any plans are considered for a top up.
Over three million people across Scotland have received three shots of the anti-Covid protection measure, while around four million have been jagged at least twice.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found a 57 per cent drop in the risk of symptomatic omicron for those who had received their third vaccination in tentative initial findings published just before Christmas.
Countries including Chile and Israel are already offering the fourth jab to those most vulnerable as well as health and social care workers.
But figures from the UK Health Security Agency recently uncovered protection for triple-jagged over-65’s against hospitalisation remains at a steady 90 per cent, dropping to 70 with two injections and 50 with just one.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, the JCVI’s chair of Covid immunisation, said: “The current data shows the booster dose is continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease, even for the most vulnerable older age groups
“For this reason, the committee has concluded there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, though this will continue to be reviewed.
“The data is highly encouraging and emphasises the value of a booster jab."
He added: “With omicron continuing to spread widely, I encourage everyone to come forward for their booster dose, or if unvaccinated, for their first two doses, to increase their protection against serious illness.”
Over 14,000 new cases of coronavirus were recorded across Scotland on Friday, with around 2,200 in the NHS Lothian health board area.
Data from Public Health Scotland (PHS) shows at least 4,388,543 people in Scotland have received their first dose of any vaccine.
A further 15 deaths were recorded by PHS, increasing Scotland's death rate to 9,905 since the pandemic began.
