Scots aged 18 and over will be able to book an appointment for a booster jab from today, the Scottish Government announced.
Nicola Sturgeon announced a raft of measures designed to keep Scots safe amid the emergence of the Omicron Covid variant.
This included a recommendation to limit the number of household mixing over the Christmas period, while hospitality and retail venues are being urged to step up efforts to protect customers over the coming days and weeks.
Changes to the vaccine booster rollout were also announced to increase the number of appointments available to Scots.
People aged 18 to 29-years-old in Scotland will be allowed to book a time slot for their booster jab from 10am on Wednesday as a result.
The announcement came after early studies revealed that the effectiveness of two doses of the vaccine drops when coming up against Omicron.
Data from the Scottish Government has revealed that there are now 296 cases of the highly mutated variant - but the total number if said to be much higher.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The most important thing we can all do to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19 is to get our vaccinations and boosters when eligible. The vaccines we have are highly effective and safe and I urge anyone who is eligible and not yet vaccinated to book an appointment.
“There is a massive national effort underway to ensure that all adults will be able to book a booster appointment before the end of the year.
“Demand for boosters may mean you may have to wait in a queue at drop-in centres but we urge everyone to be patient. We have plenty of supplies and are working with Health Boards to maximise vaccination capacity as quickly and safely as we possibly can.”
How can I book my booster vaccine?
Scots who are eligible for the booster jab can book an appointment on the NHS Inform website .
Appointments must be booked at least 12 weeks after receiving a second dose. Scots who have tested positive for the virus should wait four weeks after their infection to receive their booster.
You will be required to log in to the website using the user name given to you through a text message or on any previous Covid-19 vaccination appointment letter.
If you cannot remember your user name or password then you can recover this information through the “get your user name” or “forgotten your password” options on the website.
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