All Scots over 50 could be offered coronavirus vaccine by middle of April

All Scots over 50 could have been offered a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine by mid April, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

It comes after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged that all adults in the UK will be offered a first dose of vaccine by the end of July, with all those over 50 to receive a jag by 15 April.

Asked in the coronavirus daily briefing yesterday whether Scotland will be able to keep to that timeline, Ms Sturgeon said she “hopes” so.

The previous target for offering a first dose to all Scots over 50 and those with underlying health conditions – the first nine JCVI priority groups – was the end of May.

"If we have the supplies, we think we can meet the 31 July target to do the whole population,” she said.

"We are waiting on updated supply forecasts to give us certainty that we will have those supplies, or that we can at this stage assume we will have those supplies and therefore say yes, we think we have the supplies to do that.

"What I would say right now is that if we have those supplies we will do that, and that we will vaccinate as quickly as possible.”

She added: “I would hope that the JCVI list, which we have always said [we would offer a vaccine to] by May, I would hope supplies permitting that we could bring that forward to around the middle of April as the Prime Minister indicated, and then the adult population by the end of July.”

The Scottish Government had originally intended to vaccinate all Scots over 18 by spring 2021, but this was later put back.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday that the UK Government had enough supply to meet this new target.

"We can see the NHS and all of those partners and all of those working on this have been able to deliver jabs at about half-a-million a day, which is an incredible effort,” he told Sky News.

“So, collectively, the whole team now needs to focus on this renewed target of all vulnerable groups, all those over 50 by April 15 and then we will keep rolling out and make sure that all adults get access to the jab.”

Ms Sturgeon also said Scots with mild or moderate learning disabilities will be included in the next phase of the vaccination programme.

This group will be vaccinated at the same time as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority group six in Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said yesterday. Vaccination appointments are currently being scheduled for this group, the next on the list. Previously only those with “severe or profound” disabilities were included, as well as those with neurological conditions.

Priority group six is the largest of those offered vaccination so far, and includes all those aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions, including those with diabetes, blood cancer, heart problems, liver or kidney disease and those who have had an organ transplant.

Unpaid carers will be offered vaccines at the same time.

Ms Sturgeon said: “As of this week, we are also starting to vaccinate people with the first dose in priority group six. This includes people with certain underlying health conditions, which include but are not limited to heart disease, diabetes, or a severe or profound learning disability.

"I can though confirm today that with the agreement of the chief medical officer we also intend to include people with mild or moderate learning disabilities in group six, although we will we will have some work to do to make sure we are identifying and reaching everyone in that category.”

It comes after many in Scotland called for earlier vaccination of people with learning disabilities, including author Ian Rankin, who said people like his disabled son Kit had been “forgotten” about.

The move was welcomed by several charities in Scotland who had previously campaigned for vaccinations of Scots with learning disabilities to be brought forward.

The issue was raised in profile in England after BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley launched a campaign for her sister Frances, who has a learning disability and diabetes, to be given a vaccine.

The presenter questioned why she had been offered a vaccine ahead of her sister, who has since been given a jab but is now in hospital with Covid-19.

Meanwhile the Scottish Government has launched an investigation after a number of people under 40 with no underlying health condition were offered Covid-19 for no obvious reason.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said the Scottish Government is aware of the issue, which is centred around Glasgow and Ayrshire.

He said that those who believe they have been given an appointment in error should get in contact with the national vaccine helpline to ask for advice.

Asked about Scots in their 20s and 30s with no underlying health conditions who had been given appointments, he said a “few people” may have received invitations for vaccination appointments which they “don’t understand”.

"We are aware that there are some people within the Glasgow area and perhaps also in the Ayrshire area just know who have invites and they don’t understand why they have received them just now,” he said.

"We're investigating as to why that is the case, it’s possible that it’s due to coding anomalies in their record.

"These are a very small number of cases, and my advice to you is if you receive one of these invites and you don't quite understand why you've received the invite, then perhaps call the vaccine helpline.”