The First Minister has confirmed that Scotland is ready to roll out coronavirus vaccinations as early as next week once the first supply is received.
Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament today that they are expecting to be able to give out the first doses of the vaccine "before Christmas".
Jeane Freeman also gave a similar statement earlier today, where she stated that the NHS is waiting for the final approval to be given by medical regulators.
This decision is hoped to occur on December 7 , meaning that distribution of the vaccine could begin from this date.
Today Nicola Sturgeon added that a route out of the pandemic "is now in sight", as she announced that no tier level changes will be proposed this week.
She added: "We remain very hopeful that, even before Christmas, we will be in a position to start vaccinating people in Scotland against Covid.
"The cabinet reviewed this morning the plans for vaccination, and I can confirm that we are ready to begin that process as soon as we receive the first supplies of the vaccine.
"Of course we hope that by the spring a significant proportion of the people who are most vulnerable to Covid, will have been vaccinated.
"Vaccination over time will help us all to return to a more normal pattern of life. That means that a possible way out of the pandemic in Scotland now is in sight.
"We have all the more reason to keep ourselves and each other safe as we head towards, we hope, that end point.
"Sticking together now more than ever continues to be the way in which we can do that."
The UK has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine, which was made by both Pfizer and BioNTech.
The two-jab vaccination is said to be around 95 per cent effective against coronavirus.
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