A 90-year-old former carer has become the first resident of a care home to get the Covid-19 vaccine in Scotland.
Annie Innes got the initial dose at Abercorn House in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, as the next stage of the fight-back got under way.
Delighted Annie said: "It's wonderful to get the vaccine before Christmas.
"I hope it keeps me, my friends here and the staff safe and means we can get back to normal very soon.
"The nurses and the care home staff have been great with us and we are relieved to have been offered the vaccine."
Annie worked as a carer for over 14 years and has been living at the home for six months.
Staff from NHS Lanarkshire gave the injections to 52 residents.
Second in line was former bar tender Margaret Keating, 82, who has been a resident there for just over a year.
The front-line staff administering the vaccines were among the first to get the initial doses in Scotland on Tuesday last week.
Scottish Government health secretary Jeane Freeman thanked everyone involved in the challenging vaccination programme.
"It has been a challenge to get the Pfizer vaccine into care homes because of transport and storage requirements but I am delighted to see Mrs Innes become the first care home resident to receive her vaccine and I wish her many more years of good health."
Freeman added: "Throughout the pandemic our priority has been to save lives and keep people safe. Vaccines give us a vital additional layer of protection we haven’t had until now.
"As more vaccines become available over the coming months we will be able to continue to extend the roll-out, but initially we are focussing on residents in care homes for older adults and their carers, as we know that older adults in care homes are at the highest risk of severe disease and death from Covid."
Second doses will be given in the new year.
Nurse director Trudi Marshall, who is managing the care home vaccination programme across Lanarkshire, said 2990 care home residents and 5601 staff will be vaccinated across 93 care homes.
She said the work has been the biggest logistical challenge the region, and the country, has faced.
"Every day we see just how hard care home staff are working to keep residents safe," she added.
"In addition, they are also liaising with our Care Home Liaison team every step of the way in planning for the roll-out of the vaccines.
"We have a detailed vaccination plan in place which we are communicating to care homes. While this is a very quick moving and complex operation, we're dedicated to ensuring they are prepared for our visits and resident and staff have consented to receiving the vaccination.
"I'd urge all eligible care home residents and staff to take-up the vaccine to protect themselves and others. I fully understand we're all eager to get vaccinated, however I'd call for people across Lanarkshire to please be patient as we work through priority groups."
