Coronavirus in Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon apologises to over 80s who won't receive vaccine by Friday target

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has apologised to Scots over the age of 80 who won’t receive a Covid-19 vaccine before the Scottish Government’s target date of Friday.
A patient is vaccinated at the Citadel Centre in Ayr.A patient is vaccinated at the Citadel Centre in Ayr.
A patient is vaccinated at the Citadel Centre in Ayr.

The First Minister was asked in the coronavirus daily briefing on Thursday about an 85 year old who had yet to receive a vaccination appointment, and a group of housebound over 80s in NHS Lothian who have been given appointments for Saturday and Sunday.

"If housebound over 80s are being vaccinated on Sunday rather than by Friday, I’m sorry,” she said.

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"It’s a couple of days – there will be local arrangements no doubt that will have been put in place.”

She added: “If there’s anybody out there in that category who hasn’t been vaccinated, if you haven’t heard when you’re being vaccinated or you’ve got a relative in that position, please by all means email me direct and we will make sure that your local health board hasn’t for some reason left you out,” she said.

She added: “In a big-scale system for a variety of reasons a small number of people may fall through the cracks.”

The family of a housebound 100-year-old WW2 veteran in South Queensferry said he feels “left behind” by the process, having been waiting for confirmation of an appointment and finally being told on Wednesday afternoon that he would receive a vaccine on Sunday.

The daughter of the man, who preferred not to be named, said she was “disappointed” that her father had “waited for so long”.

“I do feel that because of his age, and his frailty, and his situation, really, he’s as vulnerable as someone in a care home. And yet they didn't make them [housebound over-80s] a priority – in fact, they seem to be last,” she said.

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Asked about this man’s situation, Ms Sturgeon said: “I don’t think it would be reasonable to see that as somebody being “left behind", being vaccinated on Sunday rather than on Friday.

It comes as Scottish Labour MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray warned of “distress” caused to Edinburgh residents over 80 who have not yet been told when they are to be given a vaccine.

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One person who contacted Mr Murray said: “My mum is 87 and is housebound. She has carers four times a day and relies on their care completely. I have reached out to her GP on several occasions, as she is still awaiting her Covid vaccine.

"Her GP was unable to advise of an expected date for the vaccines to start to be administered by the community vaccination team and was only able to say that it should be in the next few weeks.”

Mr Murray said he was also aware of a 97-year-old housebound woman in Edinburgh who has not yet been given an appointment.

“There are elderly residents in Edinburgh being kept in the dark about when they will be vaccinated, particularly those who are housebound,” said Mr Murray.

“And there are dedicated care workers who don’t know when they will receive their jag.“While there are signs of improvement, we’ve been lagging behind the rest of the UK for too long and the SNP needs to urgently up its game and stop the false excuses that are causing such distress for so many.”

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