Vaccinators have administered the first doses of the Moderna vaccine in Scotland.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff provided first doses of the vaccine today at The Hydro, which has taken over from NHS Louisa Jordan as the city's main innoculation centre.

The team will now be responsible for administering three vaccines, with Moderna being utilised alongside the Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.

The UK has acquired 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, with phase 3 trials suggesting it has 100% efficacy against severe cases.More than 30,000 people in the US took part in the trial, from a wide range of age groups and ethnic backgrounds.

It is the most expensive, per dose, of the vaccines created so far. It was pitched for $38 (£28) a dose during last summer - much higher than Pfizer, at $20 (£15).

In late January, the company behind the vaccine said it was effective against both the strain first detected in south east England and the mutation which first emerged in South Africa.

It was announced today that under-30s in the UK are to be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine because of concerns about a link between it and rare blood clots.

It comes after a review by the drugs regulator Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which found, by the end of March, 79 people in the UK suffered rare blood clots after vaccination - 19 of whom died.

NHSGGC’s Director of Public Health, Dr Linda de Caestecker said: “This is another milestone for our Covid vaccination programme.

"I’m delighted that we have been able to add this third vaccine to our vaccination programme and we look forward to welcoming more members of the public to The Hydro to receive their vaccination in the weeks to come.”