Nicola Sturgeon has come under fire from Scottish opposition parties over the country’s rate of Covid vaccinations, which is far slower than the rest of the UK.
The latest data showed Scotland’s per capita rate of vaccinations of over-18s stood at 9.4% on Monday, lower than the UK average rate for over-18s of 12.4%, with England close to reaching a first-dose vaccination rate of 13%.
While Scotland’s seven-day average rate had improved, its total number of people given their first dose remains, relative to population, the lowest of all four UK nations. Opposition criticisms intensified after it emerged that only 11,364 people were vaccinated in Scotland on Sunday, the lowest daily figure of recent weeks.
The UK government has been using mass vaccination centres, with GPs providing late night and weekend services in England. Senior figures at the British Medical Association Scotland raised concerns last week over “patchy” and slow distribution of vaccines to GP surgeries.
Defending her record, Sturgeon said that, unlike England, Scotland had vaccinated nearly all care home residents. About 90% had had their first dose, the Scottish first minister said. This was one of the most important cohorts to reach, given the much higher mortality rates in care homes, she said.
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