SCOTS with some of the most serious health conditions including Cystic Fibrosis and cancer are still waiting to find out when they will be vaccinated.
Those who are deemed ‘extremely clinically vulnerable’ will receive vaccines alongside the 70-74 age group in the fourth wave of the programme after care home residents, NHS staff and elderly people over 80 and under.
They include transplant patients and people with blood cancers or those who are receiving chemotherapy or taking immunosuppressant drugs. The jags will be administered on an 'oldest first' basis meaning younger people could be waiting some time before they are protected.
One woman, who is in her 40s and has Cystic Fibrosis said her clinical nursing team had "heard nothing" while cancer patients who have now been advised is is safe to have the vaccine have not yet been given any timescales.
READ MORE: Analysis: Are we prioritising the vaccine fairly?
The Scottish Government said expected timeframes for this group of patients will be issued as soon as possible, "subject to availability of vaccine supply".
A spokeswoman added: "We understand that people in the priority groups are rightly keen to receive further details about their vaccination, but they will receive a letter from the NHS calling them to an appointment as soon as is possible and in line with vaccine supply."
A third vaccine made by US company Moderna which works in a similar way to the Pfizer one already being offered on the NHS has now been approved.
The schedule for vaccinations has been devised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and is based on risk of mortality, while aiming to reduce pressure on hospital admissions. Age is deemed to be the highest risk for serious illness or death.
The latest weekly data from Public Health Scotland shows that 113,459 Scots have received the vaccine. The First Minister pledged this week that all those over 80 will receive the jag by the end of February.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised that some patients with serious underlying health conditions may not be vaccinated at the earliest opportunity because they may have been 'missed' off shielding lists.
Patients born with serious and life-long heart conditions are being advised by a charity to seek medical advice from specialists.
The Somerville Foundation, a charity which support patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) said it is possible that some people who had not been advised to shield would be in the highest risk category because it is "impossible to create a definitive list".
READ MORE: Data: The areas of Scotland with the highest number of Covid cases
According to the charity patients are likely to be in one of the two highest risk categories.
The Scottish Government said prioritisation would not be solely based on the shielding list but on health data gathered from primary care teams "assessing the vulnerability of individual patients".
A spokeswoman for the Sommerville Foundation said: “With regard to the coronavirus vaccine, there are two definitions that need to be considered, “clinically extremely vulnerable” (high risk) and “clinically vulnerable” (medium risk).
“Adults with congenital heart disease are very likely to fall into one of those two categories.
“The advice issued by The Somerville Foundation is that the position with regard to coronavirus vaccination should be checked by each individual with their specialist clinical team.
“Congenital heart disease is a term that covers many different diagnosis of which there are 16 main and many other minor definitions, and also many have more than one diagnosis.
“It is sensible to work on the basis that if someone has received a notice that they should be shielding they can consider themselves to have been assessed as “clinically extremely vulnerable”.
“This does not mean if a notice has not been issued everyone should automatically consider themselves not “clinically extremely vulnerable”.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health Jeane Freeman is due to make a statement on Tuesday outlining progress made so far and the next steps for Scotland’s vaccination roll-out.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said:“We are adhering to the priority list devised by the independent expert JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) which has been designed to target those at greatest risk from this virus.
“This list recognises that age is greatest risk of serious illness and death and providing protection to them is our priority. Many of those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are in the oldest age groups and will be among the first to receive vaccine.
READ MORE: Call to prioritise deprived communities and key workers for vaccine
“Others will be called using health information from their primary care teams about vulnerability.
“We understand that people in the priority groups are rightly keen to receive further details about their vaccination, but they will receive a letter from the NHS calling them to an appointment as soon as is possible and in line with vaccine supply.
“We ask people for their patience and to take up their appointment when they are called.
“Subject to availability of vaccine supply we will publish expected timeframes for those groups within the JCVI priority list, as soon as that is possible.”
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