Here's how you could apply to help with the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Scotland

The rollout of a Covid-19 vaccine in Scotland is set to continue in 2021, with hopes for the first wave of those with highest priority to be vaccinated by the end of spring.
Covid-19 vaccination at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Picture: MIchael Gillen.Covid-19 vaccination at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Picture: MIchael Gillen.
Covid-19 vaccination at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Picture: MIchael Gillen.

Those include staff and residents in care homes, those aged over 80, and frontline heath and social care staff.

The rest of the population will be offered a vaccine in descending age order, with those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and those with underlying health conditions given additional priority.

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Everyone will receive a letter before they are due to be vaccinated.

In the meantime, you can apply to help the Covid-19 vaccination programme by joining the NHS in one of a number of non-clinical roles.

These include call handlers and receptionists.

NHS Lothian is recruiting for full time and part time call handlers at between £18,600 and £20,600 a year.

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They are needed to book vaccination appointments for members of the public.

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The health board is also looking for reception staff to work on the programme, at the same salary.

They will work at vaccination centres in the Lothians, welcoming members of the public and directing them to their appointments.

Both roles are fixed-term contracts until June 30, 2021.

NHS Lothian said those applying could “help to make a massive difference”, and stressed that applicants did not need to have previous experience working for the NHS.

Three large-scale vaccination centres have been identified in Edinburgh, capable of delivering more than 45,000 shots a week.

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The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and the Pyramids Business Park (PBP) in Bathgate have been agreed. Details are being finalised for Queen Margaret University (QMU) in Musselburgh.

A number of local supplementary centres are also being set up by the four Health and Social Care Partnerships – East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian – to supplement the bigger venues.

Plans are being developed to create a walk-through centre at the EICC, which would be capable of vaccinating 26,000 people in a week at a total of around 50 stations.

A similar centre is expected to be set up in PBP, which could provide 12,000 vaccinations every week using around 25 stations.

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A drive-through vaccination centre is then being planned for QMU that would have around 16 stations and be able to vaccinate 8,000 people a week.

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