Nicola Sturgeon hopes a "significant proportion" of the most vulnerable people will be vaccinated against covid by the spring.
She said the Cabinet reviewed the mass vaccine plan this morning and insisted the jab will be available "as soon" as possible.
The UK and Scottish Governments hope a vaccine can be rolled out imminently.
Addressing MSPs, Sturgeon said: "I would reiterate that - subject to regulatory decisions - we remain hopeful that even before Christmas, we will be in a position to be able to start vaccinating people in Scotland against Covid.
"The Cabinet reviewed the plans for vaccination this morning.
"And I can confirm that we are ready to begin that process just as soon we receive the first supplies of vaccine."
She added: "And of course we hope that by the spring, a significant proportion of the people who are most vulnerable to Covid will have been vaccinated."
Sturgeon made the comments after informing Parliament of the outcome of her weekly review of the five-tier coronavirus restriction system.
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