Armed forces being deployed in Lanarkshire to accelerate vaccinations
Last updated 4th Jun 2021
More than 60 members of the Armed Forces are being deployed to central Scotland to get more jabs in arms.
The military boost means the vaccine programmes across NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire will be delivered more swiftly.
The extra support, which will include vaccinators and logistics and planning staff, will take effect from Monday for up to five weeks.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: "We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been involved in the vaccine rollout in Scotland, including the military, which has ensured more than two million people have received both doses.
"We remain on track to offer the vaccine to all adults by the end of July, but the emergence of the new variant shows that we cannot be complacent.
"That is why, as we have done previously, we have requested military support to complement our existing resources and to ensure we can get even more vaccinations into arms as quickly as possible.''
The vaccination teams will be co-ordinated by the Joint Military Command Scotland, based at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, and will be commanded by Brigadier Ben Wrench.
He said: "The Armed Forces have been assisting in the fight against the coronavirus across Scotland from the outset, providing support to the life-saving and protecting work performed by NHS Scotland and their partners.
"As the Commander of the Joint Military Command Scotland, I am proud that we in the Armed Forces can contribute towards this national effort, standing with and supporting the NHS to help protect the people of Scotland.''
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: "It's pleasing to see our fantastic British Armed Forces continuing to play a key role in keeping us safe and helping defeat Covid.
"Their deployment to the central belt next week will help with Scotland's vital vaccination programme and ensure an acceleration of jabs into arms.''
Members of the UK Armed Forces have been assisting with Covid-19 responses throughout the pandemic.
Between February and April this year, more than 550 personnel were deployed in Scotland.
This included people to establish community testing, medically trained staff to administer vaccines, and personnel to set up and run some 80 vaccination centres.