Vaccine Update

For details from Public Health Scotland, click here

See full details including videos here

RESRICTIONS REVIEW

On Tuesday 2nd February the Scottish Government will announce decisions made on the next phase of the restrictions. This will include whether schools will reopen in the middle of February. It has already been decided to keep schools closed until March in other parts of the UK.

COVID VACCINE UPDATE

There have been ongoing issues with the distribution of the vaccine. Willie has raised this in the Scottish Parliament and with NHS Fife at a meeting on Friday. We hope this information will help with the large volume of enquiries we have received from constituents.

For general information about the coronavirus vaccine and its delivery, people can phone 0800 030 8013 (available 8.00am to 8.00pm, seven days a week). You will not be able to book or change vaccine appointments via this helpline.

Over 80s - You should receive a call from your local GP about an appointment to receive the vaccination. It is due to be completed by Friday 5th February. If you have not received a call by the end of next week please call your GP to check.

Aged 70-79 – you may have already received a letter or a phone call to invite you to make an appointment. The aim is for this group to be vaccinated by the middle of February. You will be invited to be vaccinated at one of the following locations: Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital; Rothes Halls; Cupar Corn Exchange; East Neuk Centre, Anstruther; The Larick Centre, Tayport; St Andrews Community Hospital or the Tayside Institute Community Centre, Newburgh.

Housebound - Patients who are unable to attend the community vaccination clinics, such as those who are housebound, will instead be offered a vaccination in their own homes. Further details will be available soon.

Independent health and social care workers - Independently employed health and social care workers should have received a letter inviting them for a vaccine appointment. If you have not, please reply to this email and we will contact the local vaccination team to make arrangements.

Hospital patients - Vaccination of long stay inpatients in hospitals will commence next week. A plan for vaccinating those over the age of 80 before they are discharged from hospital is also being worked on as a matter of priority.

Vaccinators - Interviews for almost 200 vaccinating staff took place this week. Dentists, GPs, pharmacists and other professions are also being recruited, including those who have recently retired or are willing to work some extra sessions.

Across Scotland the schedule is:

• Groups 1 and 2 – from now until the first week in February.

• Group 3 and 4 – February – middle of February.

• Group 5 - February – beginning of March.

• Groups 6 - 9 - by early May

The second dose will run in parallel from the end of February. 400,000 vaccines every week will be administered from the end of February.

Group 1 - Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers

Group 2 - All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers

Group 3 - All those 75 years of age and over

Group 4 - All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals

Group 5 - All those 65 years of age and over.

Group 6 - All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality. This also includes unpaid carers.

Group 7 - All those 60 years of age and over

Group 8 - All those 55 years of age and over

Group 9 - All those 50 years of age and over

ISOLATION HOTELS AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Non-UK residents from red list countries which are already subject to a UK travel ban will be refused entry.

Those who cannot be refused entry will need to stay in managed isolation in a hotel for ten days.

Anyone who does not have a valid reason for travel out of the UK will be directed to return home and may face a fine.

All country exemptions (sometimes referred to as Travel Corridors) have been suspended until further notice.

Passengers travelling to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must have a valid negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure.

You must self-isolate for 10 full days if you arrive in Scotland from a country outside the Common Travel Area (UK, Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man).

Travel to or from Scotland without a reasonable excuse is not permitted.