Vaccine roll-out for 4.5m adults ‘well advanced’

PLANS to vaccinate all adults in Scotland against Covid-19 are ‘well advanced’, according to Nicola Sturgeon.

Up to 4.5million adults across the country could get the injections at a mix of large vaccination centres and local sites.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman is expected to make a statement to Holyrood next week to set out details of a nationwide vaccination programme.

It comes as data from US firm Moderna suggests its vaccine could prevent 94.5 per cent of people from getting Covid-19.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock last night confirmed the Government had secured five million doses of the jab.

Miss Sturgeon, speaking at the coronavirus briefing yesterday, said that the vaccine was now ‘in the mix’.

She added Pfizer’s vaccine is the one she expects to have ‘supply of most quickly’, then another being developed by AstraZeneca.

The First Minister said: ‘Our planning in

Scotland for roll-out and delivery of the vaccine is well advanced. There are hurdles to overcome but there is every reason to be optimistic about this.’

Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said there was ‘real optimism that vaccines will offer a scientific means by which we can exit this pandemic’.

Miss Freeman said her statement would reveal more details about when people might be able to start getting vaccinated and who will be the first in line.

Speaking about the vaccination campaign, she said ministers and health bosses are ‘just waiting to be absolutely certain about the dates when we can kick it off and get going’.

Donald Cameron, Scottish Conservative health spokesman, said it is ‘critical for the SNP Government to lay out the detail of their roll-out plans’.

He added: ‘We must also hear how the SNP Government will be promoting uptake of a vaccine and ensuring that enough staffing resources will be in place across Scotland to deliver it.’