With booster vaccines being given the green light in Scotland, the Scottish Government has laid out their plans to deliver the rollout.
- So what are Scotland’s plans for the booster vaccine scheme?
- Which vaccine will you get?
- When?
- And will we need to get boosters for the rest of our lives?
We’re answering all your questions on the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 booster vaccine programme.
Who will get the Covid booster jag in Scotland?
Those eligible for a booster jag now include:
- All adults aged over 50
- People living in residential care homes for older adults
- Frontline health and social care workers
- Everyone aged 16 to 49 with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe Covid-19
- Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals
The Caird Hall has been a major vaccination centre for Dundee.
So far, the vaccines have led to fewer hospitalisations and deaths due to Covid-19 and have protected the general population from becoming seriously unwell with the virus.
When will I get my booster vaccine?
If you’re a health worker, you can book your booster vaccine through NHS Inform from Monday (September 20).
Adults aged 70 or over and everyone over 16 who is high risk will be contacted by letter or by your GP in due course.
Those who were on the shielding list will be able to book their booster jag online from October.
While only those most vulnerable are currently able to get the booster vaccine, the advice on who should get a booster jag could change in future.
Which vaccine will I get for my booster?
The JCVI is recommending Pfizer for the booster, regardless of which vaccine you had for your first two doses.
Advice is the booster should be given at least six months after the second dose.
Where Pfizer is unavailable, a half-dose of Moderna could be used instead, according to the advice from the JCVI.
For those who can’t get the Pfizer or Moderna jags because of issues such as allergies, the AstraZeneca vaccine can be used for the booster instead.
Trials have also shown the flu vaccine can be given at the same time as the booster jab where that is practical.
However, some people will be offered a flu vaccine before they become eligible for a Covid booster, for example if you only had your first dose in April or May.
Will we need Covid-19 booster vaccines every year?
Those who get the flu jag are used to making the yearly visit to the GP or pharmacy for it.
But will we need to do the same for the coronavirus vaccine?
Pfizer and Moderna have both confirmed their vaccines offer up to six months of protection following the second dose.
Immunity from the AstraZeneca vaccine is thought to last at least a year.
Therefore it is possible that we may need to continue to get Covid booster vaccines for some time yet, though more time and research will be needed before we know more.