IRELAND HAS FINALLY completed a deal to secure 700,000 Pfizer/BioNtech Covid-19 vaccines from Romania, the Taoiseach has confirmed.

Micheál Martin said the arrangement was “fantastic news and a welcome boost to our roll-out, which continues to experience huge support and uptake from the Irish public”.

“These new Pfizer vaccines will ensure supply as we continue the next phases of the rollout over the summer and autumn months,” Martin added.

I want to thank Romania and the EU for their assistance and show of solidarity to Ireland as we further protect our citizens in this pandemic.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the doses will be delivered throughout the month of August and “will allow us to continue to ramp up the roll-out of the vaccination programme”.

Great news that we have secured an additional 700,000 vaccines from the EU through Romania. These will be delivered throughout August and will allow us to continue to ramp up the rollout of the vaccination programme. Well done to @roinnslainte officials on finalising the deal. https://t.co/qjA0XktpiO

— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) August 3, 2021

Confirmation of the deal for 700,000 comes after last month the Government announced plans to purchase up to one million vaccines from Romania.

Martin held talks with the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in early July, and it was agreed in principle to purchase one million Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Last week it was confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be extended to people aged 12 to 15 years.

The latest vaccine statistics show that more than 5.9 million doses have been administered in Ireland.

As of last night, over 3.1 million people have received at least one dose and over 2.5 million people have two doses. A total of 217,000 have also received the single-shot Janssen vaccine.

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The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 currently stands at 177, with 27 of the patients in intensive care units.

Over 30,000 people attended Covid-19 vaccination walk-in centres across the country at the weekend.

HSE CEO Paul Reid said the number of people attending the centres outstripped expectations “by far”.

 “All age groups went through but this initiative makes us beyond proud of younger people. When needed, they once again showed up in numbers,” Reid tweeted today.