Tayside Covid vaccine staff have apologised to some people under 40 after they were not offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca (AZ) jab.
The UK’s independent vaccine advisory board recently said those under 40 should be offered another because there is an “extremely small risk” of blood clots.
But those aged 39 turning up to Dundee’s Caird Hall for their Covid vaccine and other centres across Tayside this week were told they must either accept AZ by signing a disclaimer or reschedule for a later date.
It’s not clear how many were affected.
NHS Tayside say appointment letters were sent out to all those over 40 — which includes people turning 40 this year — prior to the new guidance being issued.
One man aged 39 said he received an apology from staff when the AZ situation came to light at the main Tayside Covid vaccine hub The Caird Hall.
He said: “I was expecting to be offered a choice of vaccines when I arrived.
“The health worker giving the injection apologised. She said there had been an administrative error and that my appointment would be rearranged.
“She said that this was an AZ clinic and that was the only one on offer.
“I was happy to have what was on offer but she mentioned that a couple of people had chosen to walk away so they could get Pfizer instead.
“There was a lot of advice over what to look out for in relation to blood clots.”
The risk has been identified in younger age groups with the chance of a clot roughly one in 60,000 for people in their 30s, according to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The Scottish Government say the benefits of receiving the AZ vaccine “far outweigh the risks” for most age groups because the risk of illness from Covid-19 is much greater.
‘Majority’ of 39-year-olds offered new date before turning up
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “The appointments for all over 40s were sent out before the new Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance was issued.
“We are currently vaccinating cohort 10 which includes everyone who is 40 by the end of the year and therefore includes some people who are aged 39 at the point of vaccination.
“These vaccination clinics for cohort 10 have been running with AstraZeneca this week as planned.
“We were aware that the recent change in JCVI guidance would mean that a small number of people aged 39, who had already received their vaccination invite, would attend an AstraZeneca clinic.
“In some cases where clinics have been delivering both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccinations, we were able to offer those individuals aged 39 the Pfizer vaccine.”
More than 390,000 vaccines have now been delivered in Tayside – with almost 70% of adults having their first dose and 43% completing the course with both jabs.
Invites are currently being issued for those in priority group 11, which is those aged 30-39.
The health board say invites are currently being issued for those in priority group 11, which is those aged 30-39, and in line with the latest national guidance this group will be offered the Pfizer vaccine.
Covid-19 vaccine: NHS Scotland shortcut allows people to get jag date despite not being invited yet