18,000 vaccines in care homes
Over 18,000 vaccinations have been carried out in care homes, hospitals and GP practices across Tayside.
Around 4000 staff and 3000 residents in 96 care homes have been vaccinated, along with around 9000 frontline health and social care staff since the programme began on December 8.
NHS Tayside has also been leading the way in vaccinating older people in the community with the first Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines in Scotland delivered by Tayside GPs last week.
GP practices across Perth and Kinross, as well as Dundee and Angus are now offering vaccination to patients aged over 80 with over 2000 doses already given.
The aim is to vaccinate all in this age group, as well as the remainder of frontline health and social care staff and care home staff and residents, by the end of January.
Those who are eligible will be contacted directly by their GP practice when it is time for them to be vaccinated.
Associate director of public health Dr Daniel Chandler said: “Our vaccination teams have put in a huge amount of work and planning to get to this stage, with significant numbers of our most at-risk communities already having had their first dose of the vaccination.
“We are really pleased to see such high uptake amongst our staff, those living and working in care homes and the older population.
“We know that people are eager to get vaccinated and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we work our way through the priority groups of those who are most at risk from the virus.
“Please do not contact your GP practice to enquire about when you will receive the vaccine as they are currently very busy making arrangements and booking appointments.
“The vaccination programme is a vital step in our fight against COVID-19 but it takes two to three weeks for the vaccine to provide protection and it’s not known whether having the vaccine stops you spreading the virus.
“So it is really important for everyone, even if they have been vaccinated, to continue to stick with all the guidance and help stop the spread in our communities.”