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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Chris McCall

Nicola Sturgeon 'very sorry' to Scots turned away from covid booster vaccination centres

Nicola Sturgeon has said sorry to Scots who were turned away from vaccination centres this week after arriving for a covid booster shot.

The First Minister today accepted a "small number of people" had been unable to get a third covid jab despite being eligible.

But the SNP leader insisted the booster roll-out was progressing well and said Scotland remained the most vaccinated nation of the four in the UK.

Having previously advised that people should wait for six months after their second dose of a vaccine before coming forward for another jag, the JCVI announced this week that booster doses can be given after three months.

But a number of people took to social media to complain that, despite this change, they have not yet been able to get their third injection.

Many more Scots will now be eligible for a booster dose. (Getty)

Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Douglas Ross paid tribute to the efforts of vaccinators which has seen 10 million doses given to people across Scotland in the last 12 months.

But the Scottish Conservatives leader asked Sturgeon how issues with the booster roll-out had been allowed to happen.

"Last night it emerged people who are eligible for the vaccine were actually being turned away," he said.

"How was this allowed to happen and has it now been resolved so no one is refused a vaccine they are entitled to?"

The First Minister responded: "Scotland currently has the fastest vaccination programme anywhere in the UK on first doses, on second doses, or third doses - and crucially, booster doses.

"That's not a credit to this government, it's a credit to those working so hard in every corner of the country every single day.

"The government has a responsibility to ensure the pace of the programme doesn't just continue but also accelerates."

Sturgeon added: "I am very sorry to anyone who was turned away from a vaccine clinic yesterday.

"When advice changes - and the JCVI advice changed on Monday - there is a process of updating protocols and materials.

"In the normal course of events that is a normal process that would take around a week. That has now happened.

"We have taken steps to ensure that has cascaded down to clinics across Scotland.

"It is important that people who had that experience yesterday - and let me stress it was a small number of people - can go on to the website and rebook their appointment right now."

A public health expert had earlier warned that giving all adults in Scotland a Covid booster jag by the end of January is “hopefully achievable” but will not be easy, a public health expert has warned.

Professor Linda Bauld said the target, which has been set by both the Scottish and UK Governments for offering people a third dose of coronavirus vaccine, is “very ambitious”

It is hoped that providing booster doses more rapidly, and giving them to all adults, will help combat the threat posed by the new Omicron variant, which has now been found in Scotland.

Speaking about the target of offering everyone a booster by the end of January, Prof Bauld described it as “very ambitious, but hopefully achievable”.

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