NICOLA Sturgeon has praised Scotland’s Covid-19 vaccination effort after the nation recorded its highest daily total of jags administered yesterday.

More than one million people have now received their first coronavirus vaccine, which the First Minister described as “highly significant”.

There were 1,048,747 Covid jags administered by 8.30am today, up 63,178 on the previous day and the highest daily total recorded yet.

The record-breaking day comes amid a period of extreme weather for much of Scotland, which has caused travel disruption this week.

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Speaking at the daily briefing, Sturgeon said: “When you think about the truly dreadful weather most of the country is experiencing right now, which means that many of those administering and receiving the jag will have had to brave extreme elements, I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to describe this as a heroic achievement.

“The fact that more than one million people have now received the first dose of the vaccine is highly significant.

“It means we have now vaccinated more than 23% of the adult population and most of them are in the groups who are most vulnerable to becoming seriously ill and dying from Covid.

The National:

“It gives us real hope that even if the vaccine doesn’t have an immediate impact on transmission, we will see it start to reduce serious illness and death.”

During the briefing, the First Minister also explained vaccine take-up in more detail.

She said first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have now been administered to 99.9% of residents in older people’s care homes.

At least 97% of over-80s living in the community, and 87% of 75 to 79-year-old living in the community have had their first dose, and 54% of 70 to 74-year-olds.

She went on to say that the vaccination programme is “on course” to give first doses to everybody over 70 and everyone with a serious clinical vulnerability by the middle of February.

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She added: “Many in the 65-69 age group will have also had their first vaccine by that date.

“This is all really positive news – particularly the uptake figures.

“People are coming forward for this in numbers that I could not have dared hope for – in my wildest dreams I would have hoped for it, but I would have been very sceptical.

“That is down to the appetite and the willingness of everybody in these groups to come together for their individual protection but also to play their part in our collective fight against this virus.”