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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has begun the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, which requires only one shot, with 700 doses distributed to homeless services operating in Dublin city centre on Wednesday.
The HSE began inviting 57 year olds to register for the vaccine on Thursday. About 104,000 people aged over 50 have registered to date.
Real-life data from Israel shows that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is as effective at a population level as it is in tests. It shows that a two-shot dose is 95 per cent effective against infection, hospitalisation and death from Covid-19 in Israel. Meanwhile, a single shot gave 58 per cent protection against infection, 76 per cent against hospitalisation and 77 per cent against death.
The authors of the report, which is published in the Lancet journal, stressed the importance of people getting a second dose if one is recommended.
Pfizer and BioNTech have agreed to vaccinate all the Irish Olympian and Paralympic athletes and support teams. The Olympic Federation of Ireland has said the development is “extremely welcome given the very high levels of anxiety that a lack of vaccination was causing among the team”.
The federation said the vaccine offer “alleviates the major duty of care” which might arise if unvaccinated Irish athletes were sent into the Olympic villages to mingle with other athletes.
As of Tuesday evening, 1,655,866 vaccinations have been administered, of which 1,201,373 were first doses and 454,493 were second doses. There were 33,996 vaccines administered on Tuesday, the latest figures that are available show.
This means that almost 31 per cent of the population over the age of 16 have received a first dose and 11.6 per cent have received both jabs.
There were 131 people in hospital with Covid-19 overnight, an increase of two compared with the previous night, while the numbers in intensive care decreased by three to 37.
HSE national lead for test and trace, Niamh O’Beirne, has said more than 60,000 people have availed of a free Covid-19 test in the country’s pop-up testing centres for people without symptoms, with 1,960 positive cases being detected. Sixteen pop-up centres are open at present.
She said the “vast majority” of those who come forward for testing are aged between 20 and 45 and their positivity is much higher than people over 65. Positivity rates in people under 45 who turn up for testing is 5 per cent; for those aged over 65, it is just 1.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, Lidl has announced it will be the first supermarket nationwide to sell antigen tests in store. One pack of five testing kits will cost €24.99, and these will be available in 168 stores across the Republic from May 7th. There will be a limit of five packs per customer.
Lidl Ireland chief executive, JP Scally, said: “It is our hope that by offering these tests, they will add an extra level of reassurance to our customers as they follow that advice.”