A BUSY vaccination clinic at Riverside Medical Practice in Musselburgh on Saturday saw first-dose appointments offered to patients aged over 75 and shielding patients in priority group four.

Staff at the practice called nearly 300 patients on Friday to get them booked in for the clinic, after more vaccine supplies arrived late the previous evening.

Earlier in the week, a shortage of vaccine supplies had left the 300 patients without their first dose appointment, which led to some confusion following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement that all patients aged over 75 or in priority group four (shielders) had received a first vaccine.

There are about 50 people aged over 75 or in priority group four who the practice has called to invite to an appointment without success. Letters will be sent this week to all of these individuals, with details of who to contact if they do want to receive their Covid vaccine at the surgery.

“We’re delighted to have now offered vaccine appointments to around 1,700 of our most vulnerable patients, completing all of our first doses,” said Dr Richard Fairclough, GP partner at Riverside Medical Practice.

“It’s really important that everyone continues to follow the Scottish Government’s FACTS guidance to keep themselves and their loved ones safe – but we’re pleased that this group of patients now has now been immunised.

“We’ll be contacting everyone about second doses once we receive further instruction from the Government and health board.

“People should please wait for us to contact them about second doses to make sure our phone line remains free for people with urgent health concerns.

“I need to say a big thanks to all of the team, who worked extremely hard to get everyone vaccinated so quickly, with many putting themselves forward to run special vaccine clinics across three weekends in January and February.

“We were delighted that so many patients contacted us to say how smoothly our vaccine clinics were run.

“Thanks also go to our colleagues at NHS Lothian and East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership for all of their support.”

Only patients over 75 and patients in priority group four are due to be vaccinated at the surgery.

All other people are due to be vaccinated by NHS Lothian and should wait to be contacted by them.

More information about Covid-19 vaccinations at Riverside is available at theriversidepractice.co.uk/covid-vaccine

For information about when all other groups can expect to be vaccinated, go to nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine