18,000 Borderers vaccinated in last two weeks

Priority groups are being vaccinated in stages, based on age and risk in line with the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) prioritisation criteria.

These stages are being referred to as “waves”.

In the Borders, all care home residents and those aged 80 and over have been offered a vaccination in wave one.

A spokesperson for NHS Borders said: “We don’t want anyone to be missed out … if you are eligible as part of this wave and are yet to be vaccinated, please don’t worry, further details will be issued in due course to advise how you can make an appointment.”

Wave two of the programme is currently under way, having commenced on February 1. So far, 60% of people eligible in this wave have been vaccinated.Vaccinations for the second wave are being delivered in GP practices and some community venues.

The spokesperson continued: “If you are eligible you will be contacted to book your appointment in order of the priority list.

"You will be advised which venue you will receive your vaccination at when you are contacted to book your appointment.

"Please do not contact your practice or our booking hub direct unless advised to do so.”

During this time second doses are also being administered to those who are eligible, but health bosses have previously said the co-ordination involved in this “is a huge undertaking” and have urged people to remain patient.

Borderers are also reminded that there will be variation throughout the region as practices and venues receive vaccine supplies and administer them to their local community.

Meanwhile, wave 3 – which includes all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality; unpaid carers, including all adult carers and young carers aged 16 to 18; and all those aged 60 and over, 55 years and over and 50 and over – will commence shortly and will run until early May.

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