Covid vaccine: Being part of drive to inoculate population against virus gives a real sense of hope – Dr Andrew Buist

This time of year is always busy for Scotland’s health service, but it feels like it’s really accelerated this year. Never did I imagine that I would be a doctor during a global pandemic, not least one that has gone on for almost a year so far.
Vaccinating people against the Covid-19 coronavirus is so rewarding, says Dr Andrew Buist (Picture: Mary Altaffer/AP)Vaccinating people against the Covid-19 coronavirus is so rewarding, says Dr Andrew Buist (Picture: Mary Altaffer/AP)
Vaccinating people against the Covid-19 coronavirus is so rewarding, says Dr Andrew Buist (Picture: Mary Altaffer/AP)

But here we are, and now we have vaccines: a beacon of hope for everyone and our only route back to some semblance of normal life.

By now, the race to vaccinate the people of Scotland against Covid-19 is well underway. It’s worth bearing in mind this is a marathon, not a sprint, and as much as GPs and all other vaccinators wish they could inoculate the entire country overnight that’s simply not possible.

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But things are moving, and despite some issues over vaccine supply, we are making progress.

Speaking to my fellow GPs, most, if not all, of them have already met their target of vaccinating their over-80s population by February 5. Many practices, where agreed with health boards and appropriate, are now moving on to the over-75s and the clinically extremely vulnerable groups, which will be even more challenging due to the sheer size of the task.

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I cannot tell you how good it feels to be involved in this vaccination roll-out. Don’t get me wrong, it is tiring, it is large and complex, but ultimately so rewarding.

I know the hope I felt for the 99-year-old patient who was the first to receive the vaccine at my practice wasn’t limited to that single injection.

Instead it felt like the first moment I had been able to believe we were finally fighting back against Covid-19. I know I am not alone in that, and I am immensely proud of every doctor, nurse, health and care worker, and vaccinator at the heart of a truly national effort.

It was agreed with the Scottish government that general practice would assist in the roll-out of the vaccination programme where they had capacity, and of course it makes sense for the more vulnerable in our population to attend their GP practice which will be potentially more suitable than a mass vaccination centre.

But now this is underway, I know many GPs don’t want to stop there. I’m hearing of plenty who will be lending their services to the vaccine centres too. I also know GPs are prepared to do their bit whenever required to do so – so long as the vaccine they need is available and ongoing pressures of providing frontline care are taken into account.

This desire to be more involved doesn’t surprise me in the slightest – it is hugely rewarding to know you’ve played a crucial role in fighting Covid-19.

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And I want to remind members of the public that core GP services will remain in place throughout this – especially for those with symptoms that require our urgent attention. It is challenging to do everything we normally do and also vaccinate – so I would urge people to be understanding of the pressure surgeries are under.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, and patience is key – so please, follow the guidance, let the vaccinators do their job, and together we will get out of this.

Dr Andrew Buist, chair of the BMA’s Scottish GP Committee

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