The announcement last week by the European Commission of the significant acceleration of the delivery of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine will see the first doses to be delivered to Ireland next week, which was confirmed in a statement by the Department of Health on Wednesday (21^st April).

The announcement comes following the opening last week (15^th April) of online Covid vaccine registration for people aged between 65 and 69. Health staff in this age group, who haven’t already registered for a vaccine, can register this week on the HSE portal, which is available HERE.

As part of a series of recommendations by NIAC on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, healthcare works aged below 60, and who've received their first vaccine dose, have had the interval between their first and second dose extended from 12 to 16 weeks. In a letter issued by chief clinical officer Colm Henry last week (16th April) he explained: "Those aged under 60 years without a very high risk or high-risk medical condition should have the scheduled interval between doses extended to 16 weeks to allow further assessment of the benefits and risks as more evidence becomes available."

Fórsa official Chris Cully, who attends the weekly vaccination update meetings on behalf of Fórsa, explained that Ireland’s COVID-19 vaccination programme strategy is to distribute all available vaccine as quickly as is operationally possible, prioritising those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19: “The programme continues to be delivered on the principles of safety, effectiveness and fairness, with the objective of reducing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 infection, and Fórsa continues to fully support this approach,” she said.

It was reported yesterday (Thursday) that the Government expects to begin using the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine as early as next week, and NIAC is to consider the possibility of extending the period between the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which would enable more first shots to be given.