Children in Forth Valley to be given Covid-19 vaccine

Five to 11 year olds across the Forth Valley are to be given Covid-19 vaccines from this Saturday.

It follows advice from the JCVI - recommending universal vaccination for kids in this age group.

Meanwhile, people aged 75 and over are to be offered their second booster vaccine.

Fiona Coan, NHS Forth Valley’s Immunisation Team Manager, said: “We continue to prioritise those five to 11-year-olds who are at risk, or who live with someone who is severely immunosuppressed. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks for children in this cohort and we urge parents and carers to read all the information available to them on NHS Inform when
making their decision. 

“All other five to 11-year-olds will receive their appointment letters in due course, with older children invited first and families invited together wherever possible. This will allow for second doses to be delivered before the start of the new school year, provided at least eight weeks have passed since the initial dose.”

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Throughout the pandemic it has been our intention that we follow the clinical and scientific evidence available to us and I’d like to once again thank the JCVI for their hard work in scrutinising the science and providing clear guidance.

“Scotland has one of the highest uptake rates for vaccination anywhere in the world and vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of our battle against COVID-19. The very high vaccination rates achieved so far have helped us considerably on our path back to normality and we urge everyone to take up their invitation when it is offered.”