Over 18,000 people in Tayside have been vaccinated so far as part of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Around 4,000 staff and 3,000 residents in 96 care homes have been given the jab since the programme first began on December 8, along with around 9,000 frontline health care staff.
NHS Tayside has also been vaccinating older people in the community with the first Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines in Scotland, which were delivered by GP’s in the area last week.
Surgeries across Dundee, Angus, Perth and Kinross are now offering the vaccination to patients over 80-years-old, with over 2,000 doses already given.
The health board aim to vaccinate the remainder of those in the over 80 age group, the remainder of frontline health and social care staff and care home staff and residents, by the end of January.
Those who are eligible for the vaccine will be contacted directly by their GP practice when it is time for them to be vaccinated. There is no need to contact your GP.
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 2-3 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.”
You can track the progress of the vaccination programme in Scotland through our article here.
