Question reference: S5W-32686
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 20 October 2020
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Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much flu vaccine it has allocated to each NHS board as a proportion of the eligible cohort population, and whether it will confirm the total cohort.
Answer
The Scottish Government has procured sufficient vaccine to vaccinate all those who have been invited to receive the seasonal flu vaccine, in line with our uptake planning assumptions that we will vaccinate 2.4 million people in total. This figure includes over 2 million people from Phase 1 cohorts, who are at the greatest clinical risk from seasonal flu.
The following data has been provided by National Service Scotland who purchase and distribute vaccinations.
Health Board | 65 years and over | Initial Allocation | Allocation as % of eligible population |
Ayrshire & Arran | 84,228 | 85,760 | 102% |
Borders | 28,616 | 25,390 | 89% |
Dumfries & Galloway | 38,570 | 33,290 | 86% |
Fife | 77,024 | 73,910 | 96% |
Forth Valley | 59,174 | 54,230 | 92% |
Grampian | 107,946 | 103,480 | 96% |
Greater Glasgow & Clyde | 195,952 | 166,950 | 85% |
Highland | 75,298 | 70,830 | 94% |
Lanarkshire | 121,805 | 100,960 | 83% |
Lothian | 148,954 | 163,330 | 110% |
Orkney | 5,306 | 4,903 | 92% |
Shetland | 4,686 | 4,540 | 97% |
Tayside | 89,691 | 80,090 | 89% |
Western Isles | 6,895 | 5,000 | 73% |
Flu season in the UK begins in December and reaches it peaks in January and February. So anyone who gets the flu vaccine will be protected before we expect flu cases to be at their highest. Those who are eligible for the free Seasonal Flu vaccine will be able to get the vaccine now, as well as later in the year.
Following a successful marketing campaign, this year has seen an extremely high demand for the seasonal flu vaccine. The Scottish Government is working closely with all Health Boards to support them to improve delivery and meet the increased demand they are experiencing.