NHS Fife confirmed at the meeting of its Board earlier today (27/01) that it was on course to meet the Scottish Government directives on COVID-19 vaccinations for frontline health and social care workers, care home staff and residents, as well as local people aged 80 and over.

Since the start of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in December 2020, more than 13,000 healthcare and social care staff have been vaccinated and the Board is on course to complete the first-round doses for frontline workers by 05 February 2021. This comes after it was announced earlier this month that first doses had been completed in Fife’s care homes.

Fife residents aged 80 and over are the latest priority group to begin vaccination, with GP practices also on course to complete first-round vaccinations by early February. 

People aged 75-79 will be in the next priority group to begin vaccination and will be asked to attend one of the newly established community clinics rather than their GP practice. The vaccination of those aged 75-79 will be phased over a number of weeks with appointment letters beginning to arrive for some this week, ahead of the first clinics opening next week.

A total of twelve venues have been confirmed as community vaccination sites, with an additional site still to be confirmed in West Fife. These will open on a phased basis, with the first site offering appointments on 01 February 2021. Vaccination at the clinics will be by appointment only, with patients sent letters by order of their priority group as laid out in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance.

NHS Fife Director of Pharmacy and Medicines, Scott Garden, said:

“The COVID-19 vaccination programme is enormous and will take a number of months to complete, however, we’re pleased with the progress made in vaccinating frontline staff, those living and working in the Kingdom’s care homes and our over 80’s population.

“The scheduling of vaccinations for these groups has been challenging. Thanks to diligent planning, coupled with the dedication of our vaccinators in our hospitals and our medical practices, we remain on course to vaccinate these groups on time.

“Importantly, we believe that we are well-placed to build upon the progress made so far and we will reach another important milestone next week as we begin to see those aged 75-79 vaccinated in our community clinics across the Kingdom.”

The latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Fife is available on NHS Fife’s website at: https://www.nhsfife.org/news-updates/campaigns-projects/coronavirus-information/vaccination-programme/

Additional information on the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Scotland is available on the NHS Inform website by visiting: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation/vaccines/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine.

Local people with an enquiry related to COVID-19 vaccinations, can call the Scottish COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 (available 8.00am–8.00pm 7 days a week).

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Notes to Editors