COVID in Fife: Fresh call to get vaccinated as case numbers fall

Dr Joy Tomlinson said that infection rates, while falling in the Kingdom, are still causing "serious" illness - particularly among those who are only single-jabbed or have had no vaccination at all.

The latest figures suggest that 97.9% of Fife adults aged 50 and over - who were prioritised for vaccines earlier this year - have received one jag.

But around 2% of that group have not been for their second jag.

In addition, one in ten 40-49 year-olds in the Kingdom are yet to receive a single dose of the vaccine, despite government assurances that all in that age group would be double-jabbed by the end of July.

Dr Tomlinson, director of public health at NHS Fife, told a meeting of the Fife Partnership Board today: "We are still very much in response mode [against Covid] - it's all still happening.

"We're pushing very hard to make sure people are taking up vaccination when we can. People need to be aware that as the offer comes in they should be coming forward for that.

"We're seeing a pattern: the people getting sicker are the ones unvaccinated or partially vaccinated."

Studies conducted earlier this year by Public Health England found that being vaccinated against Covid-19 can reduce the rate of transmission of the virus as well as drastically reduce the risk of developing the disease.

However, transmission is still occurring in the community.

In the week ending August 15 652 positive cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the Kingdom - an average positivity rate of 6.98%.

And while restrictions were all-but-removed in Scotland earlier this month, Dr Tomlinson says the risk of developing complications from Covid-19 still remains.

She added: "As the number of cases have come down it is imperative for people to come forward for their vaccination.

"We're making sure that message is understood loud and clear: the majority of individuals coming into more serious illness are the ones partially vaccinated or unvaccinated."

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