NHS Lanarkshire has now completed administering the first dose of its coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to eligible care home residents.
Hamilton’s Abercorn care home was the first in Scotland to have residents vaccinated in min-December with 90 year old Annie Innes being the country’s first care home resident to receive the vaccine.
Since then, almost 2,990 Lanarkshire care home residents have been vaccinated.
The first dose of the vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, will be followed up by the second booster dose 12 weeks later in line with Scottish Government guidelines.
Trudi Marshall, Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire nurse director, who is managing the care home vaccination programme across the whole of Lanarkshire, said: “We very rapidly scaled up our nursing workforce and carried out detailed planning in a very short time to enable us to roll the vaccinations out to some of our most vulnerable residents.
“We have been vaccinating every day since we started the programme on 14 December and it has been hugely encouraging see just how hard care home staff are working to keep residents safe.
“They have worked closely with health and social care staff every step of the way to ensure residents are prepared for their vaccines. I’m also incredibly proud of our staff who have devised and carried out this vaccination programme so quickly and diligently.”
Trudi also stressed the ongoing importance of physical distancing, hand washing and face coverings.
She said: “I fully understand we’re all eager to get vaccinated, however I’d call for people across Lanarkshire to please be patient as we work through priority groups.
“What I must stress is that the vaccine is only one element in a wider range of ways we can keep ourselves and loved ones safe from – and cut down transmission of – Covid-19
“It is essential that everyone, who can, continues to follow FACTS guidance closely.
“This means continuing to wear face coverings, keeping a two metre distance and ensuring environmental cleaning is carried out regularly. Cleaning hands regularly is also vital in preventing transmission.
“This remains the most effective way of preventing COVID-19 transmission across the whole of Lanarkshire.
“There is still a long winter ahead of us so please protect yourself, your loved ones and the NHS.”
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises UK health departments on immunisation, has now stated that the short term vaccine effectiveness from the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is calculated at around 90%.
The second dose is still important to provide longer lasting protection and is expected to be as effective – or more so – when delivered at an interval of 12 weeks from the first dose.
With most vaccines an extended interval between the first dose and further booster doses leads to a better immune response when the second booster dose is given.
