Covid in Scotland: Vaccine rollout to all islands approved
- Published
NHS Western Isles said approval of arrangements for getting the vaccine to all its communities was "very welcome"
New guidance will allow the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to be delivered to some of Scotland's remotest islands.
The vaccine has to be stored at -75C and is being distributed from 23 freezers located around Scotland.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said she had received confirmation that the undiluted vaccine could be transported by boat at 2-8C after being "packed down" into smaller quantities.
Islands health boards had sought clarity on the issue.
People in Lewis in the Western Isles and mainland Orkney and Shetland have been able to get vaccinated, but transporting it to other areas had presented a challenge.
Ms Freeman said she received confirmation the vaccine could be transported by boat from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
"This confirmation will now enable us to get the vaccine to these communities and local health boards are liaising with us on the practicalities and timescales for this," she said.
"This is great news, as it will make it easier for the vaccine to reach more of our island communities."
Michael Dickson, chief executive of NHS Shetland and NHS Orkney said the latest development had followed "extensive discussions" between the Scottish government and the MHRA.
He said: "The new guidance that allows the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to be moved by ferry to Shetland and Orkney's outer isles is most welcome and will have a positive impact on our ability to vaccinate vulnerable islanders in some of the UK's most remote care homes."
The vaccine had initially only been available for use on larger islands such as mainland Orkney
Mr Dickson added: "This is a new vaccine and, understandably, we need to manage it carefully which is why we are taking the steps we are.
"As chief executive of two of Scotland's remote island boards, I would rather we take a safety-first approach and, while that has caused a minor delay while we clarified issues, we can now progress confident in the effectiveness of the vaccine."
NHS Western Isles said it, along with other affected boards, had received "very welcome confirmation" about the conditions and storage requirements to allow the vaccine to be safely transported across its island communities.
A spokeswoman said: "Arrangements are being out in place as a matter of priority to commence vaccination in Uist in a matter of days."
MHRA said it was working closely with the NHS and Scottish government on the delivery and deployment of the vaccine.
It said: "We are available at all times to provide regulatory advice, to support this vital work.
"We have put in place arrangements to support delivery of the vaccine to top priority groups as safely and swiftly as possible."
