Flu vaccine roll-out defended amid calls for 50 - 64 age group to be protected

SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray admitted the NHS was facing “significant pressures” due to the spread of the virus.

He added that the outbreak of the virus appeared to be “following the very same path as came about last year where we saw an unprecedented level of flu within the system that caused clear disruption to the patients and to the system”.

But Ms Gray admitted that the surge in cases and hospital admissions was taking place earlier than last year.

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Speaking in Holyrood, he said: “Experts in Public Health Scotland and the Scottish Government are closely monitoring the flu situation and vaccination remains our best protection against the virus.”

But Mr Gray faced questions from Scottish Labour MSP Carol Mochan over why uptake of the vaccine has “been so slow”, suggesting that Scotland is seeing “vaccination rates significantly lower compared to two years ago”.

She added: “There are over 300,000 fewer adults vaccinated now compared to two years ago, with children’s vaccination rates down. Some areas had delays in administering vaccinations.

“Public Health Scotland has reported that all age groups are now affected at levels not previously seen at this time of year and confirmed cases of flu in Scotland have more than doubled in the past week.”

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Mr Gray told MSPs that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) “recommended groups for flu vaccination has changed this year”.

Ahead of the 2024/25 winter season, the Scottish Government decided to end the offer to other extended groups which were added as part of the pandemic response, notably those aged 50-64, teachers, and prison staff.

Mr Gray added: “When we actually compare like for like, particularly amongst adults, we are actually ahead of where we were last year in terms of the vaccine uptake.

“There is much more to be done and I want to encourage people to take up the vaccine. We’ve delivered more than 1.5 million vaccines so far this year.”

Labour MSP Katy Clark warned that the eligibility changes “has meant that an additional half a million people are not offered the flu vaccine”.

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She added: “Is the Scottish Government considering eligibility again and whether eligibility should be extended to those age 50 to 64?”

In response, Mr Gray said: “We take our advice on a UK-wide basis from the JCVI.

“They are the experts and we follow that advice, as we have done this year in terms of the most effective use of the vaccine.”

Meanwhile, the Health Secretary told Holyrood that a health board’s decision to ban hospital visits was “not taken lightly”.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran took the decision last week to suspend routine visiting across all its hospitals. Several other health boards have also put in restrictions on visitors and wards.

Scottish Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey said: “It’s alarming that hospitals are so stretched that they’re having to deprive people of family visits at their time of need, because they are petrified of a routine winter flu taking them beyond breaking point.”

In response, Mr Gray said: “These are not decisions that are taken lightly. They’re not unprecedented either.

“There’s a very difficult balancing act that local teams will be needing to make around risk and the potential impact that can have on families and loved ones, which we’re well aware of.

“In terms of the vaccination programme already set out: there is more work to do, and I believe particularly amongst our staff groups, where I know our boards are doing what they can to provide drop-in clinics.”