First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine is a “long time in coming” with the first individuals in the country set to receive their injections on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, Scotland received its first supplies of the new Covid-19 vaccine, ahead of the vaccination programme beginning on Tuesday.
Vaccinators will receive the injection first, followed by residents in care homes from December 14, their carers and other frontline health workers, before prioritising those over 80 “as supplies allow”.
Ms Sturgeon said the arrival of supplies of the Covid-19 vaccine in Scotland over the weekend is ” extremely positive news” but admitted the programme to vaccinate the population would be a “major logistical exercise”.
‘Tomorrow is a big day’
She urged the public to be even more cautious this Christmas, especially now the vaccine is within reach.
She said: “Tomorrow is a big day. It’s an important day. A day that has been a long time in coming, when we take the first steps in the vaccination programme and take the first steps towards that light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Scottish Government has received an initial batch of 65,000 doses, with more on the way, and each person will require two doses of the vaccine.
The first minister was also quizzed on whether Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire could be moved into level three when the weekly changes are announced on Tuesday.
She warned at last week’s review period that both local authority areas would remain under scrutiny following rising numbers of positive cases and indicated both could see themselves go up a level “if the situation merited it”.
However, both council areas have so far avoided a move into level three and remain in level two ahead of Tuesday’s decision.
Speaking during the Scottish Government’s daily coronavirus briefing, the first minister said: “That will be something we are assessing over the course of today.
“Obviously we didn’t feel it was necessary to do it before now and therefore the decision on that will fall to be taken as part of the wider suite of decisions the Cabinet takes tomorrow and I will set those out to parliament tomorrow afternoon.”
The First Minister confirmed 677 positive cases had been recorded in the past 24 hours, with 178 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 114 in Lothian and 103 in Lanarkshire.
One death has been registered since yesterday but Ms Sturgeon said this could be “artificially low” due to most register offices being closed at the weekend.
Ms Sturgeon said the “percentage of tests coming back positive at the moment has come down again, much closer to the 5% the World Health Organisation says is important for assessing whether or not the virus is under control”.
The latest figures show the daily test positivity rate is 6.7%, up from 5.2% on the previous day.
The number of new cases has been falling over the last few weeks, Ms Sturgeon said, adding current measures to suppress the virus are working.
Changes to Scotland’s five-tier system of coronavirus restrictions will be announced on Tuesday and come into effect on Friday, with the Cabinet making a final decision in the next 24 hours as to what level each council is placed into.
The first minister confirmed that the 11 local authorities currently in level four – including Glasgow – will be moved to another level as planned.
She said: “Our decisions will be based on the trajectory of the virus in each local authority area, as well as the need to protect capacity in the NHS and we will also consider the social and economic harms that come from the restrictions.”