Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has praised NHS staff working across Orkney and Shetland for their work delivering the Covid-19 vaccine roll out.
Mr Halcro Johnston said “We owe a great debt to everyone who has been delivering the roll-out across the islands.
“And it is encouraging that, according to the latest figures, over 4,000 doses have been administered across Orkney and Shetland, which is significantly ahead of the Scottish average. A huge effort is being put in by health staff, managers and others in getting jags into arms."
“However, despite the fantastic effort in the Northern Isles, Scotland is running behind the rest of the UK in terms of the roll-out and it is so disappointing that the Scottish Government rejected Scottish Conservative proposals for a Vaccination Task Force to address the factors which are causing the delays."
“The virus remains a clear and present danger in too many of our communities and, if SNP ministers can find the time to set up an Independence Task Force, surely they can find the time to set up a unit focused on clearing away the obstacles slowing down the vaccine distribution?”
“We must accelerate the roll-out of the vaccine, get more of these life-saving doses into those who need them most and give us all hope that more normal times are within reach”.