Almost 2% of Ireland’s population given vaccine

Annie Lynch, 79, was the first person to receive a coronavirus vaccine in Ireland and will be receiving her second dose this week. (Marc O’Sullivan/AP)

About 1.9% of Ireland’s population has been given the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the health minister.

Stephen Donnelly said that, by Sunday night, 94,000 vaccines were administered, with 71,000 frontline healthcare workers and 23,000 of residents and staff of long-term care facilities inoculated.

The country’s vaccination programme is focusing on three priority groups over the next couple of months, including long-term care residents, frontline healthcare workers and those aged over 70.

The Government has committed to having these groups vaccinated by the end of March, which would see 1.4 million doses administered.

In a tweet, Mr Donnelly said that those who were among the first to receive the first dose of the vaccine, will now be receiving the second.

This includes 79-year-old grandmother Annie Lynch, from Dublin, who became the first person in the Republic to receive the jab on December 29.

Mr Donnelly tweeted: “I’ve received an update on our vaccination programme and by Sunday night we had given 94,000 vaccines, 71,000 to our frontline healthcare workers and 23,000 to residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

“Well done to all involved including @AmbulanceNASand @defenceforces.

“We are on track for 140,000 doses to be administered by next Sunday which will see first doses administered in our nursing homes and over 71,000 of our frontline healthcare workers.

“This week we are also seeing the first of our dose two vaccinations happening – so Annie Lynch and those who were among the first in the programme will be getting the second vaccine.

“We have now vaccinated about 1.9% of our population.

“Our vaccination journey is just beginning and there’ll be bumps on the road but great credit to (Paul Reid) and his team for this achievement while also caring for large numbers of patients with Covid in our hospitals.”