One million people in Scotland receive coronavirus vaccine

More than one million people in Scotland have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

The milestone was reached earlier today, meaning the programme has now reached 22% of the 4.5 million people who will be offered the jag.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: "This is an important milestone in the biggest vaccination programme ever delivered in Scotland and I would like to thank everyone involved and all those who have taken up their offer of a vaccine.

"We have now given first doses to more than a million people in the groups which were prioritised to address 99 per cent of preventable deaths associated with Covid-19. These include elderly care home residents and staff, frontline health and social care workers and those who are at risk of serious harm and death from this virus.

"Scotland’s Covid-19 vaccination programme is delivering ahead of our expectations. Our aim is to vaccinate as many people as possible with both their first and second doses as quickly as possible but the speed at which we can do this depends on supply and we expect a dip in supplies UK wide towards the end of this month.

"We hope to see a significant drop in the disease due to the vaccination programme, however this will take a number of months to evaluate fully. In the shorter term, we are monitoring the uptake rate but we also have a comprehensive surveillance system in place to monitor outcome of vaccine efficacy and disease reduction.

"Each health board is working hard to get the vaccine into people’s arms as quickly as possible, and everyone eligible will be offered the vaccine as we work our way through the priority groups.”

"We continue to urge everyone to take up their appointment when they are offered one. The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow. All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together."

Those vaccinated include 99.8% of residents in older adult care homes, and at least 96% of people aged over 80 living in the community, along with 80% of 75-79-year-olds and 45% of those aged 70 to 74.