COVID in Fife: 6000 children vaccinated putting region near top of Scottish table

The figures published recently by Public Health Scotland also showed 68,000 children in Scotland had received at least one jag.

That represents 16% of the population in this age group - seven times higher than the rest of the UK where Northern Ireland has vaccinated just 2%, England 5%, and Wales 9%.

It is just one example of how parents across the UK seem to be showing hugely varying attitudes towards immunising their children against coronavirus.

Fife has 29,698 children in the age group, and, as of April 28, a total of 6006 had been vaccinated, giving a take up rate of 20.2%.

That put Fife in the top four local authorities, just behind East Dunbartonshire which has vaccinated 23.7%.

At the other end of the table, the Highlands have given COVID jags to just 3.6% of youngsters there.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “To encourage uptake, we have produced a number of resources including a leaflet providing key information for parents and carers and a marketing campaign across radio and digital channels giving tailored information about vaccines for children.”