James Cox
Additional reporting by Cillian Doyle.
The Taoiseach says yesterday was the biggest day yet in the Covid vaccine rollout — with over 41,000 given out.
A quarter of adults have now had their first dose, and one in ten have received both jabs.
All mass vaccination centres in the South East are in full operation today.
Each of the 5 Centres has the capacity to open and operate seven days a week.
The @HSELive C19 Vaccination Centre is in full operation at The Barrow Centre @itcarlow in #Carlow - see further details at https://t.co/qW8YseBATy… pic.twitter.com/1Sn6BkWdho
— HSE/South East Community Healthcare (@SouthEastCH) April 24, 2021
The Waterford centre has 40 booths with the ability to vaccinate 4,000 people a day.
While the remaining four centres in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Tipperary has 10 booths each and can vaccinate 1,000 people daily.
Micheál Martin wrote: “Biggest day yet in the #CovidVaccine rollout yesterday with 41,500 doses given out. 25% of eligible adults now have their first dose — 948,000. And 10% are now fully vaccinated with two doses — 381,000.
“The vaccines, vaccinators, and volunteers are making a real difference”
Biggest day yet in the #CovidVaccine rollout yesterday with 41,500 doses given out.
25% of eligible adults now have their first dose - 948,000.
And 10% are now fully vaccinated with two doses - 381,000.
The vaccines, vaccinators, and volunteers are making a real difference
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 24, 2021
It comes as 165,000 AstraZeneca doses are due to arrive here next week, in a delivery that had been postponed until May.
AstraZeneca now expects to hit its European delivery target of 20 million doses this month, followed by 70 million in the second quarter.
Ireland will receive a pro rata share of about one per cent.
The Health Service Executive said it was “more hopeful than we were” of supplies arriving next week, the HSE has been very critical of changes to the delivery schedule of AstraZeneca vaccines.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is currently considering whether to broaden the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the population.
Meanwhile, officials will decide in the coming days how the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be used after concerns about very rare blood clots.
Johnson & Johnson vaccine
Government had hoped to receive the all clear for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine before the weekend but the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) said there would be no decision until early next week.
HSE chief Paul Reid said the vaccines would start to be rolled out next week if they are given approval.
He added that 40,000 doses of the single-dose jab would be available next week.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would “really advance the [vaccination] programme”.
Government sources told The Irish Times that there are fears that a negative decision on this vaccine would hit public confidence in the vaccination programme and support for Covid guidelines.
“We can’t tell people to continue with social distancing without saying there’s a chance of being vaccinated,” said a Government source. “If we’ve 40,000 [Johnson & Johnson doses] in the fridge, how can you ethically or morally justify not giving them out?”
