Nicola Sturgeon has described the "emotional moment" she received a first dose of a covid vaccine today.
The First Minister was given a shot of the AstraZeneca medicine on Thursday afternoon just hours after unveiling the SNP's manifesto for next month's Holyrood election.
The SNP leader was vaccinated at 4pm and shortly after encouraged other Scots to receive their jab as soon as they are offered it.
She tweeted: "Just had my first dose of vaccine (AZ for anyone wondering).
"It truly is an emotional moment. Thanks to the wonderful vaccinator who put me so much at ease, and to teams across the country.
"Please get vaccinated as soon as you are able. It really will help us back to normal."
Speaking after her vaccination, the First Minister said: "It was totally pain free, I didn't feel a thing. "The lovely woman who vaccinated me made it all really easy.
"I guess like many people I felt quite emotional because it's so important this vaccination programme in helping us all get back to normal."
She added: "My message to everybody - as soon as you get the invite to be vaccinated, come forward, be vaccinated, because it's such an important part of our route back to normality."
The First Minister also praised the work of those who are working to vaccinate the population. "Thoroughly impressed with the well-oiled machine I saw in there," she said.
"I just want to say such a huge thank you to everyone across the country who's delivering this programme - they're heroes, each and every one of them."
The First Minister added she was "glad" to have been given the AstraZeneca vaccine, about which concerns have been raised in other countries about the possibility of blood clots.
She said: "I'm actually quite glad I got AstraZeneca, because there have been concerns raised and I said that I'm confident it's safe, but now I'm not just saying that, I've also had the AstraZeneca vaccine, so I'm glad about that."
The First Minister has previously urged the public to keep faith in the AstraZeneca vaccine after UK regulators recommended that people under 30 should be offered Pfizer or Moderna as alternatives.
Speaking earlier this month, she said: "The AstraZeneca vaccine is a safe vaccine and nobody is saying other than that.
"The blood clotting risk that has been identified is very very very rare, this is a precautionary approach that is being recommended by the advisors."
Sturgeon joins the 2,708,691 Scots who have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while a further 661,975 have had their second, latest figures show.
There were 237 people who tested positive for covid as of Thursday with one death recorded, while the number of covid patients in intensive care dropped to 16.
Travel restrictions will be lifted across Scotland tomorrow with people able to legally travel outside their local authority areas for non-essential purposes since last year.
Scots will also be allowed to meet up outdoors in groups of six from up to six different households.
