& abandoned

The guts’ jag delay for patients and NHS staff

guts for many of us. Every time I go to work, I’m hoping that I don’t take the virus home.

“I was excited to get the first dose and was expecting the second shortly. It feels like the Government has moved the goalposts and abandoned a lot of people.”

The consultant said no evidence had been shown to back the decision and admitted it is a concern for so many people to be left partially vaccinated while a mutant strain is on the rampage.

The doctor added: “It’s unethical to move dates like this. We feel disappointed and angry and worried it leaves patients at risk in a second wave.”

The criticism comes after Pfizer said it only assessed its vaccine on a two-dose system where people were given the jab three weeks apart.

The firm said there was “no data to demonstrate that protection after the first dose is sustained after 21 days”.

Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Gregor Smith, supported the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation ( JCVI) plan with UK colleagues.

A joint statement on Wednesday said: “The four UK chief medical officers agree with JCVI that at this stage of the pandemic prioritising the first doses of vaccine for as many people as possible on the priority list will protect the greatest number of at-risk people overall in the shortest possible time.

“Operationally, this will mean that second doses of both vaccines will be administered towards the end of the recommended vaccine dosing schedule of 12 weeks. This will maximise the number of people getting vaccine and therefore receiving protection in the next 12 weeks.”

An email to staff from NHS Forth Valley boss Cathie Cowan, seen by the

Record, said: “Please do not attend for your second appointment in January 2021 as you will be given a new date to attend within 12 weeks of your first appointment.”

Dr Richard Vautrey, chairman of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, criticised the change.

“It is grossly and patently unfair to tens of thousands of our most at-risk patients to try to reschedule their appointments,” he said.