THE HSE HAS said 219,200 coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered so far in Ireland.

The figure is made up of 152,200 first doses and 77,000 second doses.

The majority of the vaccines administered over the last week were second doses, with over 51,000 doses in total administered over the last seven days.

A total of 78,000 frontline healthcare workers have been vaccinated, including 55,000 people who have received two doses.

A further 74,200 people have been vaccinated in long-term residential care facilities, including 12,000 people who have received two doses.

It is expected that 29,000 more doses will be administered next week, including 9,000 doses in long-term care facilities, 15,000 frontline healthcare workers and 5,000 GPs. 

Speaking earlier today, CEO Paul Reid asked people to “bear with” the HSE as it responds to supply issues and recommendations in relation to vaccines.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended that people aged 70 and over should receive mRNA vaccines – from Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna – “where practicable and timely”.

The health service had been planning to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for older age cohorts in the next phase of the rollout – this plan will now have to change.

Reid said the HSE has “always been clear that the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will have many twists and turns” in the first quarter of this year.

“So far we’ve met all challenges in a safe, effective, secure and timely manner. Our plan is to meet the latest changing requirements in the same way. Bear with us for now,” he said.

Contains reporting by Stephen McDermott.