Vaccination plea to help ease critical care pressure

A health board chief executive has urged people to get vaccinated against Covid in order to help ease pressure on critical care in the region.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway's Jeff Ace said it was "really frustrating" to see unvaccinated people requiring intensive treatment.

More than 90% of the region's adult population has been double vaccinated but infection rates remain high.

Mr Ace said that vaccines provided a "tremendous level of protection" against serious illness.

At one stage Dumfries and Galloway had one of the lowest prevalence rates for Covid in Scotland.

However, numbers rose to become among the highest in the country before levels in other areas also increased rapidly.

The number of patients in intensive care in the region has recently risen to five or more for the first time since February.

Mr Ace said anyone who remained unvaccinated could still come forward to receive their jab.

"We are still seeing unvaccinated individuals who are continuing to become seriously ill and are continuing to progress to critical care," said Mr Ace.

"That is so frustrating because... vaccination is very easy, it is very safe, it is very available, we have got drop-in centres running.

"So, please, if there is anyone that has missed their slot for vaccination you can still do it.

"We will vaccinate you, we will double vaccinate you and it does provide a tremendous level of protection against serious illness."