Covid vaccine: SNP government's critics need to realise this doesn't have to be a race – Helen Martin

There are many vaccination mysteries taking place in Scotland.

Scotland's Covid vaccination programme has focused mainly on inoculating people in care homes, NHS staff and carers first (Picture: Michael Gillen)

Opponents of the Scottish government are complaining our vaccines are dragging way behind those in the rest of the UK.

But Scotland had a different first step, focusing entirely on care home residents, NHS staff and carers. Sturgeon kept explaining that took longer and once the process began on older, vulnerable people living in their own homes, it would speed up.

There are still complaints that some people of certain ages haven’t had vaccines yet. But the Scottish government was barred by the UK from revealing how Scottish supplies are happening, where the vaccines are, and how many are available here, per day or week, to be administered. That’s what Sturgeon wants to add in her daily update.

The Edinburgh International Conference Centre, set up as a vaccination venue, is dealing with people all over the city. It can take two or three buses to get there, few or no parking areas are available, so it’s not easily accessible especially for vulnerable and elderly.

And would they want to travel on buses? It probably will be an ideal location for healthy under-50s.

There are complaints from some people that vaccinations in Lothian are happening at a lower rate than other regions. Well, we were first told our over-65 jag would take place in March. Now it’s listed as happening in the last fortnight of this month.

Every area is dealing with this differently so there’s no point in political parties debating and arguing now. Vaccination doesn’t have to be a race.

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