MORE than half of adults in Inverclyde have now had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine - with case levels in the district remaining "stable".

In an update, the council's head of public protection and Covid recovery, Martin McNab, announced that 51 per cent of over 18s had received their second jab.

Meanwhile, almost 80 per cent of locals have come forward for their first injection.

Mr McNab said there had been a recent slow-down in vaccinations in Inverclyde due to more focus being placed on Glasgow's southside, which experienced a surge in infections last month caused by the so-called Delta variant.

But he did provide assurances more second dose appointments were now being made available with the wait between jags being reduced from 12 to eight weeks.

Despite a spike in case levels across Scotland as a whole, councillors were told there were no major concerns regarding Inverclyde's rate.

Addressing elected members during a full council meeting, Mr McNab said: "The rate is fairly stable at the moment and is kind of bouncing around between 25 and 30 per 100,000.

"Unfortunately the Scottish rate has increased quite dramatically to around 108 per 100,000 and the rate in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is up to 140.

"So it's a picture which is moving entirely in the wrong direction but we seem to not be too badly affected.

"The difficulty with the Delta variant is that it can have a very quick effect in areas and cases can increase quite rapidly."

Across Scotland 77 per cent of adults have received their first jab and 53 per cent have had both doses.

In NHS GGC, 73 per cent have had their initial jag while 44 per cent have been given their second.

Around 750 people attended the recent first additional drop-in clinic in Greenock with around 300-400 residents showing up to the one in Port Glasgow.

The council and the health and social care partnership are working with the health board to look at the small percentage of people who have not attended appointments.

Early figures indicate this stands at almost seven per cent in Inverclyde, which is roughly equivalent to the rate in neighbouring Renfrewshire.

Meanwhile drive-through testing continues to operate at Parklea in Port Glasgow every second day in tandem with the Crawfurdsburn walk-in facility in Greenock.

Asymptomatic testing remains available at Boglestone Community Centre in Port Glasgow on a walk-in basis.

People can now pick up lateral flow test packs at Crawfurdsburn and Boglestone and Mr McNab says these will also be made available soon at community pharmacies.