MORE than one million people in Scotland have now had their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

The programme has now reached more than a fifth (22%) of the 4.5 million people who will be offered a jag.

The vaccine programme will now focus on the 70-79 age group following the opening of new mass vaccination centres at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and P&J Live in Aberdeen and other large sites across the country. Scotland is on track to complete first doses for all those in this age group by the end of this week.

Those aged 65 and over are also receiving invitations for their appointment.  

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “This is an important milestone in the biggest vaccination programme ever delivered in Scotland and I would like to thank everyone involved and all those who have taken up their offer of a vaccine.

“We have now given first doses to more than a million people in the groups which were prioritised to address 99 per cent of preventable deaths associated with Covid-19. These include elderly care home residents and staff, frontline health and social care workers and those who are at risk of serious harm and death from this virus.

“Scotland’s Covid-19 vaccination programme is delivering ahead of our expectations. Our aim is to vaccinate as many people as possible with both their first and second doses as quickly as possible but the speed at which we can do this depends on supply and we expect a dip in supplies UK wide towards the end of this month."

Freeman went on: “We hope to see a significant drop in the disease due to the vaccination programme, however this will take a number of months to evaluate fully. In the shorter term, we are monitoring the uptake rate but we also have a comprehensive surveillance system in place to monitor outcome of vaccine efficacy and disease reduction.

“Each health board is working hard to get the vaccine into people’s arms as quickly as possible, and everyone eligible will be offered the vaccine as we work our way through the priority groups.

“We continue to urge everyone to take up their appointment when they are offered one. The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow.

"All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”

John Loch from Bearsden was among those vaccinated on the day the milestone was reached.

The 69-year-old, who is a retired businessman, received his first dose at NHS Louisa Jordan in Glasgow.

He said: “I am delighted to have received my vaccine, particularly on the day Scotland reached a million doses. It is exciting to be a part of this milestone moment.

“I would like to thank all the staff at the Louisa Jordan for being so reassuring and making the process so simple and straightforward.”

It comes as Nicola Sturgeon said said 99.8% of residents in older people’s care homes had now had their first dose of the vaccine.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon announces another 50 coronavirus deaths in Scotland

Meanwhile, she said “at least 96%” of those aged over 80 living in the community had had their initial injection, as well as 80% of those aged 75 to 79 and 45% of those 70 to 74.

“We remain on course to vaccinate everyone over 70 and all people with a serious clinical vulnerability,” she told the Scottish Parliament.

Sturgeon said the vaccination of 65 to 69-year-olds was now “accelerating”.