Coronavirus in Scotland: 'Vaccine is a very attractive commodity' says John Swinney as he reveals security services are advising how to keep treatment safe

The Deputy First Minister John Swinney said today in the daily coronavirus briefing that appropriate security measures will be taken as the vaccine is a ‘very, very attractive commodity’.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney.Deputy First Minister John Swinney.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney.

Mr Swinney clarified that the locations of the vaccine sites were being kept quiet in line with advice from security services as “the vaccine is a very, very attractive commodity and

attractive commodities attract, sometimes, unhealthy interest.”

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Tom Martin of Daily Express asked the Deputy First Minister what assurances the government can offer the public in terms of precautions surrounding the distribution of the vaccine

and also whether the Deputy First Minister was aware of any direct threats at the moment to the deployment of the vaccine.

Mr Swinney responded that there was no direct intelligence on the issue but there was what he would describe as “wise advise” from security services.

Mr Swinney continued in his answer to say: “The security services are giving advice and the government welcomes that advice and we will follow it and I think members of the

public will understand why that’s the case.

"And what will go with that will also be the appropriate security arrangements to make sure that we can be able to faithfully assure the public that when the vaccine comes to

Scotland we will be able to handle it properly.

"It will be handled securely and it will be distributed securely so that we can maximise the supply of the vaccine to members of the public within Scotland and that is the rational for

the advice and we will be following it to the letter.”

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