Cabinet agrees to purchase 875,000 doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine

The EU is expecting to buy around 80 million doses of which Ireland will get a little more than 1%.

The Cabinet has agreed to enter an advanced purchase order for 875,000 doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.

The EU is expecting to buy around 80 million doses of which Ireland will get a little more than 1%.

It means there are now purchase orders between Ireland and five of the vaccines under development.

That would give the country access to more than 10 million doses of vaccine, but some of those will be a double dose.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he expects vaccines to be rolled out here in the New Year, with healthcare workers and those with vulnerable conditions expected to be treated first.

However, infectious diseases professor Jack Lambert said it could a year before a vaccine is fully rolled out.

He told Newstalk: 

Even with lockdown, which wasn't being enforced to be perfectly honest for the last six weeks, the virus didn't suppress to the level that was expected.

"We need to find ways to keep the virus down and get people to get on to personal responsibility for the next six to 12 months until a vaccine is rolled out.

"A vaccine is not going to come in January or February."

Labour leader Alan Kelly says there should be a dedicated Minister looking after vaccine distribution.

"I believe honestly, that we need one person, who's going to report to you, who's going to be accountable for all of this because Stephen Donnelly has enough to be doing."

On Monday, Ireland's High-Level Covid-19 task force - the group charged with overseeing the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations here - said they are on track to deliver a vaccination strategy to the Government by December 11.

The task force says it is currently co-ordinating preparations for the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines here, once they have been approved for use by relevant authorities.

Ireland has signed up to the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccinations - both of which have published positive early indicator reports recently.

Both Pfizer and AstraZeneca are now looking for market authorisation within the coming weeks.

The plan will be considered by the Government thereafter.