Covid vaccine uptake lower among young people in Glasgow than rest of Scotland

And young men are even less likely to have had the jag then women.

As Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government urge more people to get vaccinated, the percentage of people under 40 who have had a first dose is notably lower in Glasgow than across Scotland particularly younger men.

Public Health Scotland publishes the latest vaccination take up rates.

While everyone over 18 should now have been offered the vaccination, fewer the two thirds of 18 to 29 year-olds in Glasgow have had the jag and for those in their thirties three in ten have not had it.

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For 30 to 39 year-olds across Scotland, 80.1% of people have had a first dose.

In Glasgow city however, it is considerably lower, at 69.6%.

In the younger age group, 18 to 29 year-olds, it is even lower.

Across Scotland 71.1% in that group have had a first dose of the vaccination.

But in Glasgow city, it is 62.5%.

The uptake is lowest among men where only 58.9% of 18 to29 year olds have had a first dose compared to 66% of women.

The rate for second doses is also lower but the gap is not as wide and not all adults have been offered a second dose appointment yet.

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For the second dose only 13.5% of younger men have been jagged and 21.6% for women, both lower than the Scottish figures of 16% and 26.6%.

The Health Board said it is working with Glasgow City Council and others to increase vaccination rates among younger people.

Efforts to get more people jagged have been made in the city including a pop-up vaccination tent in Kelvin Way this week, outside Kelvingrove park, to encourage younger people going to the park to get the vaccine.

And the vaccination bus is travelling next week to the city’s three biggest football stadiums, also targeting younger people.

In neighbouring areas the vaccine uptake is higher. In East Renfrewshire 71% of 18-29 year-olds and 80.1% of 30-39 year-olds have had a first dose.

In East Dunbartonshire it is 81.3% for 18 to 29 year-olds and 100% for those in their thirties.

North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire all have higher rates than Glasgow.

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "The vaccination programme across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been hugely successful, and we would like to thank our staff for their hard work and members of the public for rolling up their sleeves.

"Latest figures show that, across NHSGGC, more than 1.4 million people aged 18 years and over have received their first dose, and more than 600,000 are now fully vaccinated.

"All citizens in Scotland aged 18 years and over have now received an offer of appointment, and we would encourage everyone to take up their appointment, or to go to NHS Inform and make an appointment at a time that suits.

"We are committed to making access to vaccination as easy as possible for all people across NHSGGC. All our vaccination clinics are in the heart of communities and are easily accessible by public transport. In addition, NHSGGC and our partners operate a mobile vaccination unit as part of our work to provide access to people who might face barriers to taking up the offer of an appointment.

"We are working with Glasgow City Council and universities to identify ways of increasing access to vaccination in the city centre and for students when they return to campus."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “Vaccination remains the best way to protect ourselves, our family and friends and our communities and we continue to urge anyone who has not yet come forward to do so. In order to make it easier for people to get vaccinated health boards have introduced a number of  drop-in mobile centres for those aged 18 and over in a range of sites such as football grounds, parks, workplaces and shopping centres. This will include pop-up clinics at Celtic Park, Ibrox and Hampden Park next week.

“We want to thank everyone who has taken up the offer of a vaccine and, of course, all those who have worked on the programme since day one. Drop-in clinics continue to operate or you can arrange an appointment at a time and location to suit at NHS Inform."