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West Lothian had to re-jig its winter vaccination programme days before it was launched to protect the most vulnerable from the new strain of Covid.

The Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) unveiled plans in the summer for the winter vaccination programmes to provide more than 100,000 vaccination time slots.

With only days to go before the programme’s planned start at the beginning of the month however, the Scottish Government issued an alert on a new strain.

The head of Primary Care Services told this month’s meeting of the Integration Joint Board: “as a precautionary measure the safest approach was to vaccinate those most vulnerable as soon as possible”.

The rejig was deemed necessary in a bid to combat the new strain of Covid, recently identified.

The planned start date for those most at risk – in October – was brought forward to the start of this month with vaccinations of the housebound and those over 75.

In a report to the Board, Neil Ferguson, primary care and community services general manager, said: “By vaccinating our most at risk citizens in October, this strategy aimed to ensure maximum vaccine protection over the winter period.

“However, following the identification of a new Covid-19 variant in Scotland, the Scottish Government recommended alterations to the planned schedule for our most at risk patient groups.”

Vaccinations of the housebound started on September 4 and for those in care homes last week. Those aged 75 years and over will receive scheduled appointments from October 9.

Covid vaccination programme changed in light of new strain