The national Covid-19 vaccination programme was always going to be an enormous logistical challenge.
At the time of writing, more than 10million people across the UK have received their first dose.
That is quite an incredible feat and is considerably higher than the rates achieved so far in other countries in Europe.
In Scotland, the pace has been slower than we have seen elsewhere in the UK.
And here in the NHS Grampian health board area, there have been issues with long queues outside vaccine centres, people being sent to venues that were closed and hundreds missing their appointment letters.
However, the opening of mass vaccination centres in Aberdeen and in Edinburgh has helped to speed up the process, with signs of a marked improvement in the number of people vaccinated last week.
And I very much welcomed the announcement from the Ministry of Defence that there would be more support from the UK Armed Forces for helping to administer vaccines.
The fact that we have such large quantities of vaccines at the ready is a tribute to the fantastic work of the UK vaccine taskforce led by Kate Bingham.
Hundreds of millions of doses were secured and manufacturing and research capacity was built up so that the UK could share excess supplies with other countries around the world.
Crucially, contracts were signed with companies including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Valneva and GSK three months before the EU was able to do so.
That gave us a head start and enabled the UK to begin vaccinating its population – and saving lives in the process – from a much earlier stage.
Analysis carried out by the Scottish Conservatives this week showed that, had we remained part of the EU vaccine programme, Scotland would have about 500,000 fewer doses.
This was the same vaccine programme that SNP MPs and MSPs said that the UK would be “idiotic” and “irresponsible” not to join.
Even diehard Nationalists must now admit that the UK Government made the right call.
Credit should be given where it is due, so I applaud the work of the UK’s vaccine team.
As the vaccine programme continues to be rolled out, I have been busy as always helping constituents.
One of the big issues continues to be the ongoing work to help the seafood industry navigate problems with exports into the EU.
I have been working closely with representatives of the sector and other UK Government departments since before the end of the transition period at the end of last year.
Temporary issues affecting exports have largely been, or are in the process of being, resolved. There is still work to do on that front, however, and a great deal to do to support the industry through the coming months and years.
We will shortly enter multi-lateral negotiations with the EU, Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands on annual quotas.
The UK will be doing so for the first time as an independent coastal state.
On a final note, it was very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Captain Tom Moore.
His efforts in raising £32m for NHS charities last year inspired the whole nation.
Very few of us make such a difference to so many people. To do so while approaching 100 is truly remarkable.
