Omicron: How can I book my Covid booster vaccine in Scotland?

The Scottish Government have announced that people aged 30-39 will be able to book their Covid booster vaccine appointment from today.

The advance booking facility for over 30s is expected to open at 10am today, after the Scottish Health secretary Humza Yousaf confirmed the news on social media.

Mr Yousaf said: "We know just how important a tool vaccination, and in particular the booster is, in our fight against the virus”.

This move comes as the Scottish Government are “wrestling with the challenge" of the new Omicron variant, which is on the rise.

On Good Morning Scotland, Humza Yousaf warned that further preventative measures against Covid are ‘inevitable’, and said that they would be announced on Tuesday.

The Scottish Government are aiming to offer the booster to every eligible person who is over-18 by the end of the year.

How can I book my appointment?

Anyone eligible for a Covid booster vaccine, who has not yet had a flu jab from the NHS, will be able to book via an online portal on the NHS Inform website.

Bookings for Covid booster appointments have now opened for over-30s, and are expected to open for over-18s later this week.

As of yet, under-30s cannot book, however, the portal will open for them at 10am.

Individuals who have already received their flu vaccination through the NHS have been asked not to book an appointment online. Instead, they should phone the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 to book in for their Covid booster shot.

Anyone who doesn’t book online should receive an invitation by post.

Who is eligible?

Anyone aged 30-39 in Scotland can now register for their Covid booster shot – just as long as it has been twelve weeks since their second dose of the vaccine.

While bookings have not been opened yet, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf confirmed that 18 to 29-year-olds will be able to book an appointment starting later this week.

Previously, the booster vaccine was only available to over-40s and certain groups who were being prioritised, which included:

People who live and work in care homes Frontline health and social care workers People aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 People aged 16 and over who are a main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19 People aged 16 and over who live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)

Anyone who is over-40 or in one of these groups who has not yet booked their booster can still do so.

People who have tested positive for the virus recently should wait until 4 weeks after the date they were tested to get a dose of the vaccine.

What vaccine will be offered?

Most people will be offered either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.

AstraZeneca will be given as a booster, but only to those who cannot have Pfizer or Moderna jabs for medical reasons.

Will I also get given the flu jab?

Anyone who is eligible for the flu jab may given it at their Covid booster vaccine appointment.

Those who get both vaccines at once will be given one in each arm.

Getting both the coronavirus and flu vaccines at the same time is as safe and effective as it would be getting them at different times.

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