Greater flexibility in vaccine schedule to benefit older couples 

The new guidelines issued to GPs state: "Where practices have received more vaccines than ordered, they may continue down their over 70s list."

Elderly couples, where one person is younger than the other, could benefit from new vaccine guidelines for GPs, allowing them to move down the age-groups to use up excess doses.

The Irish Medical Organisation issued new guidelines on Monday night which state that on occasion a practice may get a higher number of doses than ordered.