24th -30th April 2024 is World Immunisation Week. Vaccines have been crucial in protecting the health of people worldwide.
When we were hit by the Covid pandemic in 2020, there was no vaccine to protect us, rigorous restrictions were put in place limiting our movements in an effort to protect as many people as possible till a vaccine could be found. Scientists and researchers worked flat out to find a vaccine for a virus that continually mutated and spread so easily. And yes, there were commercial interests using their close ties with some of our leading political figures who took advantage of that international crisis to make lots of money out of the death, illness and the fear that surrounded us.
The figures on Covid deaths in Scotland are a reflection of the success of the vaccination programme.
If we take just week 16 from 2020 to 2024, in Scotland, which covers the latest figures published for week ending 18th April 2024:
| week 16 National Records of Scotland | Deaths involving Covid | Deaths where Covid was the main cause |
| 2020 | 650 | 638 |
| 2021 | 23 | 15 |
| 2022 | 124 | 75 |
| 2023 | 69 | 47 |
| 2024 | 5 | 3 |
In total since the start of the pandemic, 18,776 have died in Scotland in Covid related deaths, 14,770 of those deaths were the direct result of Covid.
There was misinformation, vaccine sceptics, Covid deniers, conspiracy theories, and the complacency of ‘I’m healthy, I’ll take my chance’ when people did not get vaccinated. But for the many who were vaccinated against Covid, the freely available vaccine through NHS Scotland did protect them from the worst effects. An untold number, into the hundreds of thousands, continue to suffer from long covid, seriously affecting their daily life. The virus is still a health threat, especially to the elderly, and people continue to die because of it, including in Orkney.
People aged 75 and over, and those with a weakened immune system, are being offered a COVID-19 vaccine this spring from NHS Scotland. This is because their level of protection may have faded over time. You can find out more about that here: Spring coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine What is concerning is that carers and people who live with individuals who have a weakened immune system are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine this spring. This is a decision based purely on cost and prioritising the most vulnerable.
The cost of vaccines means that worldwide, governments make decisions to prioritise spending elsewhere, and not on vaccination programmes.
The World Health Organisation states that “The global vaccine drives of the second half of the 20th century are one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Immunization campaigns have enabled us to eradicate smallpox, nearly defeat polio, and ensure more children survive and thrive than ever before.”
This World Immunisation Week it has 5 goals:
- Ensuring vaccines are high on the priority list for governments in all countries;
- Advocating for vaccines to be an integral part of the planning and investment of health care across the life course;
- Making sure vaccination programmes are adequately financed and resourced in all countries;
- Accelerating research and innovation that advances access to, and support for, vaccines;
- Speaking out on the impact of vaccinations locally, nationally and globally.
Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Vaccination and Immunisation at Public Health Scotland, explained in his latest blog:
“The power of vaccines is immense – they save lives, they prevent illness, they contribute to children having the best start in life and offer other vulnerable people the prospect of a healthier future.”
And he reflected on the rising cases of Measles in other parts of the UK and Europe. He said:
“Measles can be a very serious condition, causing pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and can affect people of any age if they have not been vaccinated. While Scotland has seen few cases recently, the threat remains, particularly among those who have not completed the two-dose vaccination schedule – both doses are essential for full protection against measles.”
In this interconnected world, Measles, Covid, or any other virus, doesn’t concern itself with borders and is easily transmitted and spread. Vaccines can and do protect.
Dr Ghebrehewet continued:
“Each vaccination not only protects the individual but also contributes to the broader goal of herd protection, which protects those who can’t get vaccinated due to medical reasons.”
To find out more click on this link: NHS Inform, Immunisations in Scotland
Fiona Grahame