Question reference: S6W-04379
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 15 November 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of guidance published by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on 1 September 2021, advising that patients with severe immunosuppression should receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, whether people with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance will be included in the clinically high-risk cohort and therefore eligible to receive a third primary dose.
Answer
The Chief Medical Officer issued guidance in his letter of 21 September on the vaccination of severely immunosuppressed individuals. This letter is published here: COVID-19 vaccination programme: JCVI advice on the vaccination of severely immunosuppressed individual (scot.nhs.uk) . On 19 October a tailored Primary Care Update communication was cascaded direct to primary care networks to ensure GPs and others were aware of arrangements for this cohort.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice on third primary doses is complex both in terms of eligibility and timing, as the ideal time for a third dose may differ from person to person. There has therefore been clear national communication to health boards to assist them in delivery to this cohort.
There are many rare conditions and guidance on specific conditions which may benefit from inclusion is not necessarily exhaustive. Where a condition is not on the list but a patient’s clinician believes they should be included, they can add people to the list and refer them for vaccination to their local health board, if in their judgement, they feel that their patient should be eligible for a third dose.
More information on this is available at: Coronavirus (COVID-19) third dose vaccination | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot).