Question reference: S5W-34735
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 22 January 2021
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the prioritisation of First Responders, who work on the frontline alongside the emergency services as volunteers, in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Answer
All of our decision making in the approach to responding to Covid-19 is guided by the latest scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) , advice from Health Protection Scotland and our Interim Chief Medical Officer. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides advice on immunisation to all UK Health Departments, including on the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
All first responders are included in the Allied Health Professional cohort and they are covered in the priority list.
Those who are initially eligible for COVID-19 vaccination can be found in the CMO list, which is illustrative but not exhaustive, and additional information can be found in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Priority Group 2 statement, which defines patient-facing frontline workers.