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Half of all adults in Ireland have now received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine

Ireland’s vaccine rollout continues to build momentum.

HALF OF ALL adults in Ireland have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

The HSE confirmed today that 50% of the adult population have now got their first dose.

While 20% of these people are fully vaccinated – no exact figures have been made available.

Paul Reid, CEO of the HSE, confirmed the details via his Twitter account today.

“The vaccination programme is now making great headway. Over one million done in May, 2.7 million in total.

“50% of adult population had a dose one and close to 20% dose two. Reduced illness, sickness, mortality and a massive take up,” he said. 

Ireland’s vaccine rollout continues to build momentum. The government’s target of administering at least one dose to 80% of the eligible population by 30 June is now within sight.

A recent analysis of the data by The Journal suggests that this milestone is more likely to fall in the first or second week of July.

On Friday the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine be expanded to children aged 12 to 15.

Marco Cavaleri, who heads the EMA, said the European Union regulator had received the necessary data to authorise the vaccine for younger teenagers and found it to be highly effective against Covid-19.

The decision needs to be rubber-stamped by the European Commission and individual national regulators, he said.

The recommendation follows similar decisions by regulators in Canada and the US last month, as rich countries slowly approach their vaccination targets for adults.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was the first one granted authorisation across the EU when it was licensed for use in anyone 16 and over in December.

A 79-year-old Dublin woman became the first to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in the Republic of Ireland on 29 December last year.

Additional reporting by Niall O’Connor.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    May 30th 2021, 3:32 PM

    Contrary to what the anti establishment people were saying the vaccination process is flying, people were suggesting that it would take years to get to 80%.

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    Mute TommyC
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    May 30th 2021, 3:36 PM

    @Charles Coughlan: I’m sure they will find something

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    Mute Michael Healy
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    May 30th 2021, 3:36 PM

    @Charles Coughlan: I don’t think people were saying it would take year’s, more questions around the original over selling of how fast we we would get the vaccines in order to meet the percentage some in power were bragging about. We are on the right track and let’s be glad of that.

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    Mute #FreePalestine
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    May 30th 2021, 3:41 PM

    @Charles Coughlan: Well I mean it’s ticking along now, but it’s still behind schedule.

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    Mute JC
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    May 30th 2021, 3:42 PM

    @Charles Coughlan: I’m waiting 26 days for an appointment! So it’s not that smooth

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    Mute Ally Mc Culladgh
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    May 30th 2021, 3:43 PM

    @Michael Healy: Yes they were saying it would take years.

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    Mute D. Memery
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    May 30th 2021, 3:43 PM

    @JC: you might want to give them a shout as the longest I’ve heard anyone waiting for a vaccine appointment is a week

    73
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    Mute Pat Ryan
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    May 30th 2021, 4:08 PM

    @D. Memery: Well I have to say I’m very disappointed with the whole process, I never got a badge for either dose. I feel the badge rollout needs to be addressed as a priority

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    Mute Keith McAvinue
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    May 30th 2021, 4:37 PM

    @Michael Healy: ah they were now Michael. They just gone to moan about something else the bellends.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    May 30th 2021, 4:57 PM

    @JC: Interesting, I got 24 hours notification for mine yet when I arrived I wasn’t on the register and had to be manually entered, I would recommend that you check and see if you are on the list, good luck getting your jab…

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    Mute Declan Sweeney
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    May 30th 2021, 8:24 PM

    @D. Memery:

    Around hear for the vaccination centre is 10 days, a number of people had to wait 2 weeks but got the 1 dose J&J, sister registered on the May 19th still no word

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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    May 31st 2021, 12:40 AM

    @#FreePalestine: Its not far behind, its about a million a month, which is what they said.

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    Mute Cheryl Mellett
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    May 30th 2021, 3:34 PM

    Hopefully in another few months this will all be a distant memory and normal life will have fully resumed.

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    Mute Joe Mc
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    May 30th 2021, 3:56 PM

    @Cheryl Mellett: Great to have hope but being realistic helps too.. …looking at the figures above they are saying that 10% of the adult population is fully vaccinated….it will be a long time before this is a distant memory …normal life has changed,it will never go back,so much has changed and unfortunately the virus in some form will be a treat for a long time. Once we accept this life can move on and we can live with the virus

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    Mute Robin Pollard
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    May 30th 2021, 6:00 PM

    @Joe Mc: Not sure where you see 10%, when it clearly says 20% of the adult population

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    Mute Eugene Norman
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    May 30th 2021, 8:05 PM

    @Joe Mc: 50% one or more vaccination, 20% two. The later stat will start to accelerate now because obviously you need to get the first one in order to get the second one. For Pfizer users that’s just 4 weeks away. And the centres are running efficiently, more are being added in fact. It’s relatively plain sailing. For the eeyore’s amongst us this is bad news, for the rest it is great.

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    Mute Brendan Luke Ferron
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    May 30th 2021, 3:36 PM

    The anti vaxers cant be loving this. They usually start thier posts with ‘The people’ when truth is they make up a small minority of ‘the people’.

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    May 30th 2021, 3:40 PM

    Had my first dose of Pfizer on Wednesday, no reactions – just a bit of sore arm for a day or two.

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    May 30th 2021, 3:55 PM

    @Seán Ó Briain: If all 2 million people vaccinated share this news on the Journal we’re in for a very boring Sunday afternoon.

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    Mute Barry Evans
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    May 30th 2021, 4:00 PM

    @lelookcoco: go out into the sun, don’t read them and save yourself making 2 million derogatory remarks……..

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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    May 30th 2021, 5:02 PM

    @lelookcoco: Well isn’t it a wonderful thing you have the decision to read which comments you’d like to read?

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    Mute Tracey Keating Coughlan
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    May 30th 2021, 5:13 PM

    @Seán Ó Briain: snap Seán I got mine Monday. To be very honest I was so happy to receive it ….I am asthmatic so was thrilled

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    Mute Declan Doolan
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    May 30th 2021, 3:33 PM

    So we is uncle Tony crying?

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    Mute William Blackall
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    May 30th 2021, 3:36 PM

    @Declan Doolan: He needs the limelight

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    Mute Ally Mc Culladgh
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    May 30th 2021, 3:37 PM

    @Declan Doolan: Ah would you give it a rest, don’t be so childish. What happened last night was shocking, I feel sorry for the cleaners having to clean up after people’s mess. He passing through town and made a remark, I saw the videos, it was absolute chaos, I am sure Tony just wanted to get home and be with his family and be their support at a difficult time the family is going through.

    But you go on Decco have your little whinge.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    May 30th 2021, 4:16 PM

    @Declan Doolan: Oh Shut Up. What happened last night in Dublin Was Wrong.

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    Mute Sean O'Doherty
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    May 30th 2021, 4:20 PM

    @Declan Doolan: What does that sentence mean, Deco?

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    Mute artur fil
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    May 30th 2021, 4:34 PM

    @Ally Mc Culladgh: Shocking?? Young people enjoying nice weather after being locked in for months is nothing shocking about it. I am surprised you are upset I thought you only getting upset when extreme left wing is protesting.

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    Mute Ally Mc Culladgh
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    May 30th 2021, 4:58 PM

    @artur fil: Hey Artur, yes shocking, the mess they left behind was disgraceful. Let’s not try to pretend this was some peaceful picnic. Where people didn’t pee everywhere and didn’t expose themselves, yeah? Not upset, shocked and annoyed.

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    Mute emer mcdonnell
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    May 30th 2021, 5:25 PM

    @artur fil: would you get over yourself, they haven’t been locked up for months! You are making it sound like they were locked up in their houses for months! Poor little babies….the hardship that they endured cos they couldn’t go out on the lash for a few months…they can tell their grandkids how hard it was but they managed to survive the pubs being closed for a while but were totally entitled to leave the city in a state as the poor little things missed out a year of going on the p**s! The hardship of it all…one for the history books!

    51
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    Mute artur fil
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    May 30th 2021, 5:50 PM

    @emer mcdonnell: Well I don’t drink at all and don’t go to the pub. I am sure no all young people meeting friends just to get pi…d. They were locked in for months without much or any social interaction.

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    Mute Dec
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    May 30th 2021, 5:52 PM

    @artur fil: let’s not pretend we wouldn’t be, rightly, giving off if a certain culture were leaving a massive mess after them, so how is this different? Can we not enjoy ourselves without turning the country into a dump while we’re at it!

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    Mute emer mcdonnell
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    May 30th 2021, 6:10 PM

    @artur fil: that still doesn’t justify the state they left the place in. Everyone has had less social interactions this past year and I for one do not feel any more sorry for them than I do for anyone else. It’s the ones having to clean up their mess (even if they are getting paid for it) and all the doctors, nurses etc who have been dealing with covid first hand that deserve sympathy and respect. Something that those who behaved like that last night obviously don’t give a damn about. It’s the as long as I’m happy mentality!

    23
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    Mute JC
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    May 30th 2021, 3:41 PM

    I registered 26 days ago. I’m 50 y/o living in Drogheda. I called a week ago to follow up. And I was told I’d be bumped up as I was waiting over 2 weeks without contact. It’s now 9 days later. And I’ve still yet to get appointment! It’s a lottery
    To make matters worse. The Drogheda vaccine center is only open 3 days a week! You couldn’t make it up.

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    Mute Claudia O'Riordan
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    May 30th 2021, 3:48 PM

    @JC: my GP registered me to have vaccine last month as I’m in the group 7 ,high risk group and nothing yet lottery for sure.

    29
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    Mute Alex Marquis
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    May 30th 2021, 3:56 PM

    @JC: sadly the Drogheda vax centre seems to be seriously mismanaged which explains the backlog in Louth and east Meath. A lot of those in the area who should have been vaccinated there are now being sent to the Helix which seems to be reasonably well managed.

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    Mute Sean O'Doherty
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    May 30th 2021, 4:22 PM

    @JC: I’m 60 and am waiting 40 days and my centre closes at 2pm everyday. I just made that up.

    17
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    Mute Brian Henoll
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    May 30th 2021, 5:08 PM

    @JC: Meant to get it over a month ago. Grp 4. Consultant messed up. Multiple calls to the clinic, doctor, HSE etc = still dont have it. Total joke. Have just given up at this stage.

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    Mute Eoin Scanlon
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    May 30th 2021, 5:17 PM

    @JC: drogheda, east meath and south louth is the slowest area in the country. Should be easy to sort as I’m sure most would travel to Dublin for a jab. Unfortunately we’ve some pretty quiet TDs. Wouldn’t happen in a lot of constituencies.

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    Mute Ger
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    May 30th 2021, 5:36 PM

    @JC: if you’re 50 and you registered 26 days ago you registered earlier than you should have.

    18
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    Mute Mary Clarke
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    May 30th 2021, 4:11 PM

    Its great that the vaccine is being rolled out as a success,but the Astra zenica vaccine receivers are left wondering when we can expect our second dose. While younger people who were given the Pfizer vaccine are getting their second dose and free togo where they like. Please can someone give usa timeline for our next dose so we can start to plan our lives again .

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    Mute Sean O'Doherty
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    May 30th 2021, 4:24 PM

    @Mary Clarke: What’s a togo, and how much are they normally?

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    Mute Dave O'Keeffe
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    May 30th 2021, 6:04 PM

    @Mary Clarke: it will be at least twelve weeks. That’s not a HSE thing, it’s the actual procedure following the science in that particular vaccine.

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    Mute David Bishop
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    May 30th 2021, 4:06 PM

    But let’s stay indoors and shut down businesses in case an 80 year old gets it

    40
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    Mute Sean O'Doherty
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    May 30th 2021, 4:25 PM

    @David Bishop: Great idea, David.

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    May 30th 2021, 11:49 PM

    @David Bishop: If someone is telling you to stay indoors, you’re being pranked. Vast majority of businesses are up and running again.

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    Mute Fran O'Keeffe
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    May 30th 2021, 3:34 PM

    Very slow rollout

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    Mute bmul
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    May 30th 2021, 3:35 PM

    @Fran O’Keeffe: no it’s not

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    Mute Philip Dunne
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    May 30th 2021, 6:28 PM

    @bmul: I’m very much pro vaccine etc, and have gotten my first dose, but I do agree that it’s a very slow rollout. 50% got got first vaccine. So than means we are only 25% of the way to fully vaccinating everyone. Do 75% to go. And it’s June. We started in January. So it’ll be Jan 2023 when we are finished

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    May 30th 2021, 8:07 PM

    @Philip Dunne: how many vaccines did we do in January vs may, little bit of a difference.

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    Mute Viola Bingham
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    May 30th 2021, 5:19 PM

    Making 65 plus waiting 3 months for their second vaccination is neither wise or safe

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    Mute Michael Healy
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    May 30th 2021, 3:34 PM

    Happy days can’t wait to be part of the other half that gets my first vaccine next….

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    Mute carl o'connor
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    May 30th 2021, 3:42 PM

    Meanwhile in Wales 84% of the adult population have now received their first vaccine and 42% are fully vaccinated. They are well ahead of the rest of the UK as well

    21
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    Mute Eoin Scanlon
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    May 30th 2021, 5:19 PM

    @carl o’connor: good for them. I’m delighted that we’re nearest the fastest country.

    20
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    Mute Ger
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    May 30th 2021, 3:34 PM

    Got my first dose yesterday. Not gonna lie, it’s kicked my backside, but I’m glad to be one step closer to normality.

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    Mute bmul
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    May 30th 2021, 3:36 PM

    @Ger: no reaction to my first dose now expecting one when I get my second dose

    21
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    Mute Ronan Flanagan
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    May 30th 2021, 4:40 PM

    @Ger: you might get a follower on twitter to celebrate…

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    Mute Ger
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    May 30th 2021, 5:41 PM

    @Ronan Flanagan: sounds like you’re being salty there. Not that it’s any of your business but the journal barred my account ages ago for making a joke about a 5 word headline with 3 misspelled words. This twitter account is purely for access to this page. Happy now Ronan?

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    Mute Ger
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    May 30th 2021, 11:45 PM

    @bmul: hopefully you’ll be ok. My sister in her 70s had no reaction to either dose of hers. She got Pfizer too. Is that what you had?

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    Mute Danny O'Riordan
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    May 30th 2021, 3:48 PM

    Munster1 will be devastated.

    11
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    Mute Hugh Morris
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    May 30th 2021, 7:52 PM

    I didn’t get a badge!

    10
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    Mute Johnny Conway
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    May 30th 2021, 3:54 PM

    Honest question. How do the homeless go about getting the vax??

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    May 30th 2021, 3:57 PM

    @Johnny Conway: In the arm.

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    Mute Michael Kelly
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    May 30th 2021, 4:22 PM

    @Johnny Conway: I read somewhere last week that said the homeless were being vaccinated then. Assuming they all went for it then they’ve all had their first dose by now.

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    Mute Declan Doolan
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    May 30th 2021, 7:40 PM

    So what’s the problem with holohan and varadkar.??vaccine programme is on target and working..so give it a rest.

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    Mute Steve Hehir
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    May 30th 2021, 6:52 PM

    Whoever printed up those badges should be publicity flogged…

    10
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    Mute Mrs Doyle
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    May 31st 2021, 4:22 AM

    @Steve Hehir: why? I’m a frontline worker, I wear my badge at work and it gives my patients reassurance.

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    Mute john
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    May 30th 2021, 3:34 PM

    Yes I know they had a party yesterday lol

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    Mute Gabrielle Redmond
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    May 31st 2021, 2:13 PM

    I find this really great news except for the people who received AstraZenica. Simon Coveney left the population aged between 60 to 70 no choice. It was either take the vaccine or risk Covid. What will happen now is the rest of the population will have received 2 doses and the age group that could be at risk won’t have the 2nd dose of AstraZenica till August, September or October. With the Indian variant about that same population have 60% coverage, that leaves a 40% chance of picking it up.

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    Mute Adam J
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    May 31st 2021, 6:22 AM

    It’s absolutely annoying that people are still jumping the queue for vaccines, someone I know is friends with a local doctor in a small country town and now has both doses, not high risk or anything

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    Mute Adam Ford
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    May 30th 2021, 6:13 PM

    Half arent

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    Mute Susan McMahon
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    May 30th 2021, 8:40 PM

    And the other half aren’t dopes.

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    Mute andrew
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    May 30th 2021, 7:12 PM

    Half done another half to go.

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