Thousands of health workers queue for jags
More than 5,000 health and care staff queued to get the coronavirus jag during an 11-hour mass vaccination in Glasgow yesterday.
Around 500 doses an hour were given to workers at NHS Louisa Jordan, a specially created coronavirus hospital at the city’s Scottish Events Campus, between 8.45am and 7.30pm by 95 vaccinators.
The drive comes as another 1,753 people caught the virus and 78 deaths of people who tested positive were recorded.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “To have 5000 vaccinations taking place at NHS Louisa Jordan in a single day is testament to the hard work of all the staff at the hospital and I want to thank each and every one of them for their part in the roll-out of the biggest vaccination programme ever undertaken in Scotland.”
Across Scotland 225,000 people have received the first dose of the vaccine so far, with the Scottish Government expected to vaccinate 400,000 a week by the end of February.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “My thanks to vaccinators at NHS Louisa Jordan and across the country working hard to make the light at the end of the tunnel that bit brighter – one jag at a time.”
Ministers are hoping to have all Scotland’s over-65s and medically vulnerable vaccinated by March.
The number of new infections in Scotland yesterday was 407 fewer than Friday’s figure of 2,160 but the number of people who had died was 17 higher.
As of Friday evening, 1,863 people were in hospital with recently confirmed coronavirus. There were also 145 patients in intensive care.
Across the UK a further 1,295 deaths from coronavirus and 41,346 new cases were recorded yesterday.
Meanwhile, new measures came into force in Scotland yesterday in a bid to slow down the spread of a more infectious strain of the virus.
Only those who can’t do their job from home should go into a workplace. Entering businesses to buy takeaway food and drinks has been stopped. Premises must use a hatch or counter at the door.
Non-essential click-and-collect services are now prohibited.