PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins and his wife Sabina have received their first doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

The president and his wife, who are both 79-years-old, received the vaccines from their doctor in recent days.

“Their turn having come, President Higgins and Sabina were grateful to receive their first Covid-19 vaccination from their local GP on Friday,” the president’s press office said in a statement.

Speaking last month, President Higgins said he would be “very glad” to receive his vaccination once they start vaccinating people aged between 75 and 80.

“Sabina and I are in the category… 75-80. When they start that category, we’ll both be getting it. I’m not sure if it will be necessary to be showing which arm I had it on… [but] I’ll be very glad to get it,” he told the Moncrieff show on Newstalk.

The latest HSE figures show that, as of 19 March, nearly half a million people in Ireland have received one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

A total of 181,063 people have received two doses. There is a two-day lag in the publication of HSE vaccination statistics.

Over 77% of doses administered have been the Pfizer jab. Approximately 19% have been the Astrazeneca vaccine and the remaining 3% of people have received the Moderna shot.

It was not immediately known whether the president received a Pfizer or Moderna jab. Ireland is not using the AstraZeneca vaccine for those aged over 70 in the current phase of the rollout as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has stated there is insufficient evidence about efficacy in those aged over 55.