Covid vaccinations for Scots aged 16 and 17 are expected to be approved later today in time for the reopening of schools for the summer term.
Health secretary Humza Yousaf said jabs could be offered to youngsters "within days" if the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) makes a recommendation on extending the vaccination programme.
It is believed vaccinating 16 and 17-year-olds against the virus could reduce transmission and help limit disruption to schooling.
Yousaf said: "Look forward to imminently receiving final JCVI on vaccinating 16-17yr olds.
"If the advice is to begin vaccinating 16-17yr olds with first dose (as is being trailed by some media outlets) then we will move at pace, hopefully within days, to begin vaccinations for those eligible."
Speaking on the BBC, covid recovery secretary John Swinney said: “I do hope that that is the position we hear from the JCVI today, we have been pressing for that, and have made a strong case.
“Obviously we’ll take that very forward really very swiftly to make sure we can make early progress on that.
"And working on a four nations basis about vaccine supplies we will obviously make the quickest progress we possibly can do.”
It comes as one trade union said schools should not have any responsibility for promoting, enforcing or policing vaccination of pupils.
School leaders’ union NAHT said UK policy on jabs for children should be led by clinicians.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “The debate about whether or not to vaccinate older children has been raging for many weeks. NAHT has always said that UK policy on child vaccination should be led by clinicians.
“To the extent that any such policy is controversial it is clear that schools should not carry any responsibility for vaccination promotion, enforcement or policing."
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