THE HSE HAS confirmed that 77,303 Covid-19 vaccine doses – 1.58% of the population – have been administered in Ireland as of yesterday.

Healthcare workers with direct patient contact, as well as nursing home residents and staff, have been first to receive the vaccine. It is expected that 130,000 people will be fully vaccinated by the end of February, though this number may increase depending on supplies. 

The HSE confirmed this afternoon that as of yesterday, a total of 77,303 Covid-19 vaccination doses have been administered in Ireland. 

A total of 69,378 frontline healthcare workers and 7,925 residents and staff at long-term care facilities have been vaccinated.

Speaking at the HSE briefing this afternoon Dr Colm Henry said he was aware of some reports of “people who are apparently not frontline [staff]” receiving the vaccine in hospitals. 

“We don’t want to see that happen but we don’t want to see it wasted either,” he saud,

He said in some cases a sixth or even seventh dose can be obtained from a vial of the vaccine. 

Dr Henry also said he as “no doubt ” that the priority list for vaccinations will be reviewed and some groups may be moved up.

“It was put together at the beginning of December before we went though this surge and there’ll be learning from this surge as to whether new groups that may come up through the priority list.”

The first delivery of the recently approved Moderna vaccine arrived in Ireland this week.

It was also confirmed this week that developers of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine had applied to the European Medicines Agency for conditional authorisation.

The approval of a third vaccine for use in the European Union should considerably speed up the roll-out, particularly if the AstraZeneca vaccination, which does not require ultra-cold temperatures, becomes available. 

As of yesterday, Ireland has received 152,100 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines and 3,600 Moderna vaccines. 

Over the course of this week, the HSE plans to administer 25,060 vaccinations at 186 long-term care facilities, along with 14,040 vaccinations to frontline healthcare workers. 

With reporting by Hayley Halpin