FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that the first Covid-19 vaccines are going to be administered from next week.

Speaking at the Scottish Government coronavirus briefing, Sturgeon spoke on the news that the Pfizer/BioNTech jag has been approved by the medicines regulator for widespread use.

Below are the First Minister’s comments on the news in full:

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Firstly, as you might expect, I want to very warmly and enthusiastically welcome this morning's news that the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech has been authorised for use in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare regulatory authority.

This isn't unexpected but nevertheless, because it confirms that a safe and effective vaccine can now be used, it is beyond a shadow of a doubt the best news we have heard since this pandemic started all these months ago.

Today is genuinely a good day. We're not at the end of this pandemic yet, and of course - and this is a point I will come back to later - we cannot and must not ease up in our efforts to control it

But today does feel like it may well be the beginning of the end of this horrible experience. For that reason, I am sure I am far from the only one this morning who feels a lightness of heart that I haven't felt in quite some time.

READ MORE: Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine approved and to be rolled out within days

In terms of the detail, we expect vaccines to be delivered over the course of December and we expect that to start to happen within the next few days

And, if we receive the first doses of the vaccine as soon as we're expecting to, and there is no reason at this stage to doubt that, I can confirm to you the first vaccines against Covid will be administered in Scotland on Tuesday December 8. That is just six days from now.

I'm going to say that again. The first vaccines against Covid will be administered in Scotland on Tuesday December 8.

So you can perhaps understand why I've probably smiled more in the last few minutes than you've seen me do in the last several months.

It is of course worth remembering that everyone will require two doses of the vaccine - and that these are likely to be offered 21-28 days apart, so it's likely it'll take until very early in the new year to complete the first vaccine courses for any individual.

But there is no doubt that being able to have this degree of confidence that we can start a vaccination programme next week is absolutely fantastic news.

We will, of course, start by vaccinating the people who will be vaccinating everyone else, as you would expect - and we will then follow the independent advice we've received from the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation.

They have recommended prioritising those with the greatest clinical need, including older residents in care homes, health and social care workers, and those aged over 80.

These groups will therefore be the first people we seek to vaccinate. The authorisation which has been issued today has some conditions which, it's important to be clear, makes the Pfizer vaccine quite difficult to transport to some locations - especially individual homes.

We're therefore in the process of planning just how we can ensure that all people in priority groups can be vaccinated. Overall, however, the high probability that vaccines will start next week is welcome and I think it is much-needed positive good news for all of us.

For all the difficulties that undoubtedly lie ahead, today's news should give all of us real hope that the end of this pandemic for Scotland is now in sight.

It should also motivate us - and I'll come back to this point at the end - to do everything we can between now and then to keep ourselves and each other safe.

And as safe as possible, including of course, over the forthcoming Christmas period.