MOVES to allow more people to have the first jab of the Covid vaccine have been welcomed by a group representing medical professionals in Scotland.
The Scottish Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties said it was “essential” that the number of patients and staff being vaccinated is increased as quickly as possible.
The new dosing regimen aims to allow for a speedier rollout of both the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines.
It means the second doses of the vaccines can be administered within 12 weeks rather than the shortest time possible.
The Scottish Academy, which co-ordinates the work of a number of medical colleges and faculties, welcomed the decision from the UK-wide Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The Scottish Academy’s members released a statement on Monday, saying: “It is essential that the number of people who have been vaccinated with at least one dose of either vaccine is increased as quickly as possible.
“The Scottish Academy supports the modelling from the JCVI, which has confirmed that both vaccines provide substantial protection after a single dose.
“Delaying the second dose to 12 weeks will assist with the availability of the vaccines and enable more healthcare workers and those in priority groups to be vaccinated in as short a time as possible.
“This has required a change to the schedule for most of those who have received the current first dose – and the Scottish Academy recognises that this will impact upon workload for those involved in the programme.”
The Scottish Academy members continued: “We understand that both healthcare professionals and the public may have concerns about altering the schedule but this change is based on a review of the evolving clinical evidence from both vaccines.
“This change will help us to have an immediate impact in our fight against Covid and is the right thing to do.”
The Scottish Academy said GPs were ready to start vaccinating “at scale” despite many in the NHS being “exhausted” by the pandemic.
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