Malcolm Chisholm: Pleased to make announcement

The Scottish Executive is working with education departments to make sure pupils are immunised, including protecting those who missed out on the jab last year, and are due to leave school.

Deputy health minister Malcolm Chisholm said: "I am pleased to announce that the school BCG immunisation programme will again begin."

Scotland's chief medical officer says the amount of people travelling to and from Scotland means safeguards must be in place to stop the disease spreading.

Dr Mac Armstrong, said: "TB is a disease of worldwide importance. Travel around the world - to and from Scotland means that we have to be on our guard against the spread of this disease.

Parental concern

"BCG immunisation offers a simple but highly effective method of protection against tuberculosis - indeed it continues to be effective for at least 15 years after vaccination.

"While it is generally not the killer disease it once was, TB is still highly contagious and like the common cold can be spread through the air when people cough, sneeze, talk or spit.

"We know that parents have been concerned about the health of their children during the suspension of the programme and would like to re-assure parents that every effort will be made to vaccinate children who have missed out on the BCG vaccine since September 1999."