NHS Lanarkshire is now administering the Moderna vaccine as part of the covid-19 vaccination programme.

Lynsey Sutherland, Interim General Manager – Covid 19 Vaccination Programme, said: “We are really pleased to be able to offer the Moderna vaccine in Lanarkshire. It will now be the predominant vaccine for boosters for people over 18 and for first doses for those age 18 or over.

“When people attend for their covid-19 booster they will likely receive Moderna. We know this is different to what local people are used to, as we have been using the Pfizer vaccine in those circumstances until now. However, we would like to offer reassurance that all vaccines we are using are safe and effective and have been through the same approval process. Moderna uses a similar vaccine technology to Pfizer and has been used throughout the UK, including in three other Scottish health boards, for many months now.

“While people cannot choose which vaccine to have, they will receive the most appropriate vaccine for them after a clinical assessment. All vaccines used for the booster are highly effective and provide a strong booster response.”

Currently, everyone over the age of 18 is eligible for a covid-19 booster, as long as it has been at least 12 weeks since the second dose. You can book this online at NHS inform or by visiting a local drop-in clinic. Details of drop-in clinics are available at www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/covid-19-vaccine/#clinics