NHS Grampian’s head of health intelligence has said its “upsetting” one in 10 people in Scotland have not received any Covid jabs.
Jillian Evans spoke out after Public Health Scotland (PHS) revealed 500,000 people are still to get any vaccination at all.
She said that while a “stubborn percentage” remained to get their vaccination, it ultimately puts those people at risk.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Ms Evans, a leading voice in the north-east’s response to Covid, said unvaccinated people are still highly likely to become seriously ill.
She said: “Individuals, who are unvaccinated, pose a much higher risk to themselves, so if you are not vaccinated there is a much higher likelihood of you becoming seriously unwell, and unwell enough to be hospitalised.
“That is not only difficult for the individual, but it is what it does to public services, particularly healthcare.”
The latest figures by PHS showed that there were only 25 people in hospital across Scotland with Covid on September 18.
Figures also showed that just over 4.4 million people has had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine up to September 14.
‘A really tough ride over next six months’
Ms Evans said that even though many people have had Covid, it is still worth getting vaccinated for added protection.
She added that there may be some complacency among the public about Covid who think it’s not really a problem anymore – but she stressed “it really is”.
She said: “Most experts will predict that there will be a respiratory wave into the autumn, and that may be a combination of Covid and flu, so I think most people are preparing for an increase in infection levels, and the best thing to do is to be vaccinated.
“Winter usually presents a rise in demand of between 10 and 15%, so pressure because people are more unwell and vulnerable in wintertime, added to that any respiratory surge like Covid or flu.”
The latest data from the #COVID19 Infection Survey show:
▪️ infections increased in England and Wales
▪️ infections decreased in Northern Ireland and Scotland➡️ https://t.co/62V3Ot30aZ pic.twitter.com/4eSd1AbX2i
— Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) September 23, 2022
Ms Evans also spoke about the impact of the cost of living crisis and some people’s inability to heat their homes, and the effects that will have on health.
She said: “We know that even having to turn down your heating down to anything less than 18 degrees indoors, means that your likely to become very unwell and that’s for children and adults.
“Given the choices that people are going to have to make this year about eating or heating, then both are going to have a very serious affect on health and healthcare services.”
She issued a stark warning that many different factors could contribute to what she says will be “a really tough ride over the next six months”.
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