Scots are being urged to get vaccinated as a drive to protect the vulnerable from the Indian variant.

People in Scotland who missed their vaccine appointments are being asked to rebook a jab in a bid to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Gregor Smith, said it was "not too late" for people in the original priority groups and missed their appointments to be vaccinated.

Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch said that up to 15 per cent of Glasgow’s vulnerable population might have missed their first appointment.

This could be either be through choice or not knowing they had an appointment booked.

Currently, over three million people have had their first dose of the vaccine in Scotland.

Here's what you need to know:

How do I check if I have a missed appointment?

People can access NHS Scotlands missing appointment form here.

If you think you should have received a letter by now with details of either your first or second dose, call the national Covid-19 vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 or use this guide to find out how to report your missing appointment.

In the form, you enter your name, age and which NHS Bboard you are based in, along with key contact information.

NHS Scotland aims to respond to entry of the form within 72 hours.

Who is currently being offered the coronavirus vaccine?

NHS Scotland are following the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice and are vaccinating those most at risk first, and those who work closest with them.

Those who have already been invited or are currently being invited to be vaccinated are:

  • residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
  • front line health and social care workers
  • clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
  • people aged 30 and over
  • those aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
  • all adults with a learning disability – mild, moderate, severe and profound
  • unpaid carers aged 16 to 64
  • household contacts of those who are severely immunosuppressed
  • adults experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping
  • People aged 16 and 17 can receive the vaccine if they:
  • are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable, or as having a specific underlying health condition
  • are an unpaid carer
  • are in the health and social care JCVI Group 2, frontline health or social care worker
  • People aged 16 and 17 will normally be offered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

If you are not registered with a GP or do not have Community Health Index (CHI) number you can still get the vaccine by phoning the helpline on 0800 030 8013.

What are the latest vaccine numbers?

3,051,383 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination and 1,704,388 have received their second dose in Scotland.

What did the Scottish Government say?

Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: "Our vaccination programme has been extremely successful, and we’ve seen very high uptake rates across all age groups.

"However, we know that there will inevitably be a small number of people who, for a variety of reasons, may not have taken up their original appointment.

"Our message to you is clear – it is not too late, and you are still welcome. Please contact us to make an appointment today.

"It continues to be vitally important that everyone takes up the opportunity to get both doses of their vaccination when their opportunity arrives.

"I want to emphasise that the second dose offers greater and longer-lasting protection, and should not be missed.

"Vaccination is crucial in protecting ourselves, our families and communities and helping us on the path back to normality.

"Anyone who missed their original appointment, or thinks they may have been missed, should contact the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 or fill out the missing appointment form on the NHS Inform website.

"They can also help you find other ways to get your coronavirus vaccination if you are unable to leave your home for your appointment on medical grounds.

"People who have been vaccinated should still continue to get tested and engage with contact tracing teams if they are a contact of a positive case.

While the latest evidence suggests vaccines provide a high level of protection, they don’t yet provide a guarantee that you can’t still get the virus or pass it on to others around you."