Thursday 28 March 2024
 6.8°C   ENE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Coronavirus / Health board preparing to vaccinate five to 11 year olds

NHS Shetland says it expects to start delivering Covid vaccines five to 11 year olds from late March onwards.

All children in that age group in Scotland will now be offered a vaccine – not just those at highest clinical risk.

Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, NHS Shetland’s interim public health director Dr Susan Laidlaw said these vaccination clinics are likely to be held on Saturdays.

The expectation is that vaccines may be given for this age group from 26 March onwards.

“That will be clinics for children, probably on an every fortnight basis,” Dr Laidlaw said.

“There has been some guidance on how we might call them by ages, but probably in reality with our relatively small numbers we will be calling children in as soon as we can.”

Dr Laidlaw reiterated though that people who have had Covid need to wait 12 weeks before having a vaccination.

Information on vaccines for children can be found on the NHS Inform website.

Meanwhile the health board does not have an exact start date yet for extra boosters due to be offered in Scotland to care home residents, those over 75 and everyone over 12 who is immunosuppressed.

However, Dr Laidlaw said these should be taking place from March.

The jabs will only be given six months after the recipient had their initial booster.

Shetland continues to have one of the highest overall Covid vaccination rates in Scotland.

More than 85 per cent of 12 to 15 year olds have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.