Ireland to suspend purchase of AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines
DUBLIN: As the vaccination programme in Ireland progresses, the government has made a crucial decision to halt further deliveries of AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines to the country.
This is due to the increased availability of mRNA vaccines in Ireland and the European Union’s growing interest in acquiring these vaccines.
Suspending the purchase of other vaccines will avoid the wastage of vaccines as the country receives the required amount of mRNA vaccines to vaccinate all who have made appointments.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) said it is acting on recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).
HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid said that under the current agreement with Romania, about 700,000 mRNA vaccines would arrive in Ireland in the coming weeks.
Vaccination figures
According to latest figures, 6.35 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland. This includes 2.85 million second doses.
90% of adults in Ireland have been partially vaccinated and 81% have been fully vaccinated.
Around 30,000 children aged 12 to 15 received the first dose in the first two days of the rollout to that age cohort. Some vaccine centres began administration for children ages 12 to 15 on Friday, while the rest began Saturday.
As of yesterday afternoon, 90,000 children were registered for vaccine appointments, according to the HSE CEO. There are around 280,000 children in this age group.
Children who are registering will require the consent of a parent or guardian to get vaccinated. They will be given Pfizer or Moderna Jabs.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health confirmed 1,758 new COVID-19 cases yesterday. There are 248 people in the hospital being treated for the disease, with 48 in the intensive care unit.
“Vaccinations are working, they are reducing hospitalisations, they are reducing illness, ICU and mortality,” Mr Reid said.
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