Swinney has flu jab and warns vaccine ‘crucial’ to protecting NHS this winter

Swinney Receives Flu Vaccine Highlighting NHS Protection

First Minister John Swinney received his flu vaccine in Edinburgh, emphasizing its importance in safeguarding the NHS during the winter season.

Vaccination Details and Eligibility

Mr. Swinney was vaccinated by Tina McInnes at NHS Lothian’s Ocean Terminal center on Thursday. Eligible groups for the vaccine include:

The First Minister qualifies as an unpaid carer for a family member.

Impact of Flu on NHS

Last flu season, about 6,500 people in Scotland required hospital treatment, placing strain on the NHS.

Vaccination Progress and Warnings

Nearly one million vaccines have been given so far, yet hospital admissions related to flu have seen a slight rise.

“There’s 980,000 vaccines have been deployed already, and we are seeing, despite all of that, a slight increase in the level of admissions to hospital as a consequence of flu."
“We need to be very attentive – that has all been monitored under the health and social care system."
“A crucial component of this is making sure that we have adequate levels of vaccination to members of the public and our health and social care system are protected.”

Summary

The First Minister stresses the flu vaccine as a key defense to keep the NHS resilient during winter’s challenges.

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Grampian Online Grampian Online — 2025-11-06

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