Thomson Reuters
Europe's medicines regulator had approved the use of the Covid-19 vaccine jointly developed by US company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, putting Europe on course to start inoculations within a week.
European Union countries including Germany, Austria and Italy have said they plan to start vaccinations from December 27th.
The timeline for vaccination in Ireland has not yet been confirmed, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin said previously that Ireland would be prepared to begin administering the vaccine once the European Medicines Agency (EMA) made their decision.
📢 EMA has just recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for the #COVID19vaccine developed by BioNTech/ Pfizer, to prevent #COVID19 in people from 16 years of age.
👉Read our press release: https://t.co/qOyMcYLI4y pic.twitter.com/4c5ujZKQ6b
— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) December 21, 2020
The EMA was due to announce their findings on December 29th but came under increasing pressure following the clearance of the Pfizer vaccine by the UK and US, where vaccination started earlier this month.
The Government's vaccination strategy and implementation plan was published last week, detailing people over 65 who are long-term residents in care facilities and healthcare workers in direct contact with Covid-19 would be the first groups to receive the vaccine in Ireland.
When the doses arrive here, the injections will be administered in five key settings: long-term care facilities, large-scale healthcare sites, mass vaccination centres, GP surgeries and community pharmacies.
