Coronavirus in Scotland: New guidance on under-50s Covid-19 vaccine priority groups expected next week

New guidance on Covid-19 vaccine priority groups among the under-50s is expected from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) next week, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has said.

Jimmy Thomson, from Musselburgh, receives his Covid-19 vaccine at a drive-through vaccination centre in the Queen Margaret University Campus, Musselburgh. Picture date: Wednesday February 10, 2021.

It comes after reports that age may be a key factor in determining who among this group is first given a vaccination.

Head of the JCVI Professor Wei Shen Lim told an online audience of doctors that age “dominates by a long way”, while underlying health conditions contribute “some increased risk”, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The JCVI has not yet published guidance on who should be vaccinated first beyond the first nine groups, which include all over 50s and those with underlying health conditions, but there have been calls for some professions, including teachers and police officers, to be put first.

Asked about the JCVI criteria as he led the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing on Friday, Mr Swinney said: “We expect to receive information on that reasonably soon, I can’t give a prescriptive timetable but I would expect us to get that really within the next week or so, I would think.

“And that will then enable us to take decisions based on the advice that we receive.”

Dr Gregor Smith, Scotland’s chief medical officer, said the JCVI had met twice this week and would send its advice to ministers around the UK in the “very near future”.

As of 8.30am on Friday some 1,386,152 Scots had been given a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, an increase of 31,186 since the previous day. Almost 30,000 have been given a second dose, as the regime of second Pfizer doses gathers pace.

Mr Swinney said that 74 per cent of 65 to 69-year-olds have received a first dose, adding that the Scottish Government is “on track” to deliver a vaccine to everyone in that cohort by early March.

The Scottish Government originally intended to begin vaccination of the next group on the priority list, those under 65 with underlying health conditions, by early March as well, but this has been delayed due to a temporary drop in vaccine supply from Pfizer.

Scotland is still on track to deliver a first dose to all over 50s by May despite the supply dip, the First Minister has said.

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