A LOCAL councillor is calling for the Army to be brought in to administer Covid-19 vaccinations.

Councillor David Wilson believes the scale of the task is so big that armed forces personnel should be mobilised to help.

Soldiers played a key role early in the pandemic in Inverclyde when they ran a mobile testing site which toured a number of locations in the district.

Mr Wilson believes they could work alongside GPs to ensure the programme is a success once the jabs are cleared.

Two vaccines have been tested successfully and there are hopes that one of them may be available by the end of the year.

Councillor Wilson says the Scottish Government should bring forward a detailed delivery plan for the roll out as soon as possible.

He spoke out following problems with the annual flu vaccination programme.

It had to be scaled up this year due to Covid-19 and the process was so blighted by delays that the health board was eventually forced to issue a public apology.

Councillor Wilson says there can be no room for further error, as coronavirus is a 'life and death' situation.

He told the Telegraph: "My constituents in Quarrier's Village were, like so many others, seriously inconvenienced by having to take three buses to St Mirren Park in Paisley, the only centre in Renfrewshire.

"The flu jab exercise was a national shambles with the very odd exception like Inverclyde where it was well run.

"Even in Inverclyde the Scottish Government instruction was to leave the 80-plus year olds until the last."

Mr Wilson says while medical staff could not be faulted the organisation was poor.

Councillor Wilson said: "We all know that our nurses, doctors, GPs and frontline NHS staff are quite superb but there is ample evidence nationwide that the management is less so.

"I am calling for the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine to be conducted by GPs and the British Army.

"We cannot afford the last minute organisation and chronic problems that have affected the flu vaccine roll out this year.

"This is life and death, with no room for mismanagement."