First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urges Scots to get vaccinated as she receives Covid booster

Nicola Sturgeon has warned that Covid is “still circulating” as she urged eligible Scots to get vaccinated.

The First Minister made the plea as she received her booster vaccine in Glasgow on Monday.

Official statistics show that as of the start of November, one in 50 people in Scotland living in private households are estimated to have tested positive.

Around 2.1 million people across the UK are believed to have self-reported symptoms of long Covid.

Further booster vaccinations have been offered to those at highest risk of severe Covid-19 from September.

It will also be offered to all adults over the age of 50, those aged between five and 49 who are in a clinical risk group including pregnant women, carers aged between 16 and 49, as well as others.

Full details of the groups being offered a further booster can be found here.

Sturgeon, 52, was given her booster vaccination at Glasgow Central Mosque.

Speaking afterwards, Sturgeon insisted that being boosted is the best way to protect against the virus.

“Covid is still circulating, we’ve had high levels of community circulation in recent weeks, a slight tailing off into the last week or so,” she said.

“As we get deeper into winter, a virus like this is always going to have the potential to circulate, and obviously we have concerns about flu circulating.

“My message to people is if you’re in one of the eligible groups for vaccination, make sure you get vaccinated.

“it is, just as much this year as it was last year, the best way of protecting yourself.”

The First Minister indicated that common sense remains the best approach to countering the virus.

She said: “We can all continue to take the basic steps to reduce transmission as much as possible – good hand hygiene, wearing face coverings if you’re in a crowded place and think others around you might be vulnerable.

“Common sense remains our best friends as we try to counter this virus.”