A further 41 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in Scotland over the last 24 hours.
The Scottish Government also announced that 966 new cases of COVID-19 were reported overnight, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 98,686.
Leading today's daily briefing, Deputy First Minister John Swinney revealed Scotland's death toll since the start of the pandemic has now hit 3,889.
965 people are in hospital being treated for the deadly virus while 65 people remain in intensive care.
The news comes as hopes mount following a Covid-19 vaccine being approved by the UK health regulator.
The Covid19 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK, paving the way for mass vaccination to start.
The UK’s Health Secretary has announced who will be first to receivethe Pfizer coronavirus vaccination.
And is at the top of the list to be vaccinated are care home residents and their carers.
Matt Hancock circulated a letter to MPs on the same day the UK Government gave the green light for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
Crucially, within that letter, he set out who is deemed priority for the vaccination.
He wrote: “Today, the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation has published its advice setting out the order of priority according to clinical need.
“This includes care home residents and their carers, the over 80s, and the frontline health and social care workers. We will deliver according to clinical prioritisation and operational necessity.
“All COVID-19 vaccines will be free at the point of delivery, distributed according to need rather than someone’s ability to pay.”
It is hoped that 4.4 million Scots will be vaccinated by spring next year.
Government officials say they are following “independent scientific and clinical advice” from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The body has published a priority list of people who are expected to get the vaccine during the first wave in Scotland.
Freeman said that it is important that “those most in need of protection receive that protection first”.
