SCOTLAND has passed England in the proportion of the population vaccinated against the coronavirus, the latest data suggests.

According to the latest data from the UK coronavirus tracker, Scotland now has 22.98% of the country vaccinated with the first dose of the jag, just overtaking England which is sitting on 22.85%.

Wales is leading the way in the percentage of population vaccinated with 24.89% and Northern Ireland is sitting at 20.98%.

The Scottish Government's was criticised for the initial speed of Scotland's vaccine rollout due to their approach to prioritise care home residents and those over the age of 80.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today at the daily coronavirus briefing that  “pretty much everybody” living in care homes for older people had been given their first injection, with this also applying to “close to 100%” of the estimated number of people aged over 80 and living in the community.

Meanwhile, more than 99% of those aged 75 to 79 have had their first injection, along with 85% of those aged 70 to 74 with Sturgeon saying many in this group are “maybe getting vaccinated today”.

More than half (53%) of those aged 65 to 69 have also had their first jag.

READ MORE: Scotland has reached milestone vaccine target, Nicola Sturgeon announces

Sturgeon later added: “In the weeks ahead we expect the first doses that have now been given to people in these groups will reduce deaths from Covid significantly, and they will also have an impact, although perhaps a smaller one, on hospital admissions.”

However, she did also say that the rate of vaccination “may well decline a bit” this week.

“We are unlikely to vaccinate more than 30,000 people a day this week,” she said.

The First Minister explained this was because of the high uptake of the vaccine in recent weeks and because of a lower supply of vaccine available.

But she said vaccinators would be able to “pick up the pace … as soon as supplies allow”.