Almost 250,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered to date

HSE chief Paul Reid referred to next week as “an exciting week.” Vaccines will be given to long-term care centres, frontline workers and will see the start of the Over-85s programme. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

Almost 250,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the State to date, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed.

It comes ahead of the next Monday, when 12,000 over-85s will start their vaccination programme in what was described as "an incredibly historic moment" by Cork GP, Dr Nuala O'Connor.