The entire country should be given a vaccination by September under the latest plans from the government.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says that timeline relies on a number of assumptions.
It assumes approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine and is dependent on getting enough supply from other companies.
So far 121,900 people have received their first dose of the covid-19 vaccine as of last night.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly believes full vaccination can happen by the third quarter of the year.
Up to last night 121,900 vaccines given to our frontline healthcare workers and residents and staff in nursing homes. Well done to all involved, especially @paulreiddublin @CcoHse @HSELive @roinnslainte @AmbulanceNAS @defenceforces pic.twitter.com/Zssb5hGXzB
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) January 21, 2021
He confirmed the state is due to get 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the first quarter of the year.
The first 140,000 people should be vaccinated by this Sunday.
However, Ireland's buffer of vaccine doses will be almost empty after that because of an under delivery from Pfizer this week.
Family Carers Will Not Vaccinated In Second Round Of Jabs
The Minister also confirmed employed carers working for the HSE or private nursing homes will be in the second group of people to get the vaccine.
So too will with dentists.
But family carers will not be in that group.
Minister Donnelly said that the decision over family carers is "not [his] decision".
He said the move was based off of expert advice.
Minister Donnelly has said he accepts more information is needed about who is in what priority group to get vaccinations.
