Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine deployment plan: update - July 2021

Supply and distribution

How we receive our supply

There are now four COVID-19 vaccines currently authorised for use by the medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency: AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer and Janssen, although the JCVI has not yet provided advice on use of Janssen. Due to worldwide pressure on manufacture and supply, supply has been a limiting factor for the programme. Vaccines are procured on a four nations basis via the UK Vaccines Taskforce with Scotland receiving a Barnett formula proportion (8.28 per cent) of all available supply as it arrives into the UK. The UK Vaccines Taskforce has worked alongside suppliers to increased stability and security of supply to the four nations. Vaccines allocated to Scotland are distributed to a wide range of sites, including vaccine holding centres in hospitals, GP practices and mass vaccination centres.

Delivery model

The delivery model is highly dynamic, having to respond to variable supply and changes in demand forecasts. Health Boards therefore plan on a weekly basis based on forecasted supply projections provided by the UK Vaccines Taskforce. A multi-disciplinary team meets weekly to review the plans and supply allocation is adjusted accordingly. The national programme analyses individual health board plans against projected stock and our national modelling of predicated demand.

Vaccine security

Security is a key consideration within the Scottish programme. It contains a security workstream with the goal to instil an appropriate, proportionate and collaborative security-minded culture. We continue to work with colleagues across the four nations to share learning and intelligence, which has proven to be a key success of the programme. This includes monitoring misinformation and disinformation which could adversely affect the success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.