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NIAC clears use of AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines for under-40s

NIAC clears use of AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines for under-40s

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) has cleared the AstraZeneca and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine to be used for under-40s.

Niac has also said the gap between doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine can be cut in half from eight weeks to four weeks.

The use of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines is currently limited to over-50s, but the Government has been told this can now be changed to vaccinate more of the younger age cohorts, according to The Irish Times.

This will aid in speeding up the vaccine rollout with cases of the more transmissible Delta variant rising in the country.

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The news comes with Government set to announce tomorrow whether the planned reopening of indoor hospitality can go ahead on July 5th.

The Niac advice will be considered alongside recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) as senior Government ministers meet on Monday night to discuss the next phase of reopening.

Nphet is expected to be “pessimistic” in its modelling of the progression of the virus, The Irish Times reports.

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