More than 855,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine delivered to Ireland

A BioNTech/Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is prepared. File picture

More than 855,000 Covid-19 vaccines have arrived in Ireland, the Department of Health has announced.

Up to March 19, Ireland has received a total of 855,360 vaccines with the majority being from Pfizer.

Some 570,960 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have landed in Ireland, with 68,400 Moderna jabs and 216,000 Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines also arriving here.

The Department said that around 95% of available vaccines are administered within seven days of arrival in Ireland.

It also confirmed that 680,015 doses of vaccine have been administered in Ireland.

As of March 21, 495,824 people have received their first jab with 184,191 people getting their second.

The news comes after the European Commission yesterday moved to reduce the export of Covid-19 vaccines to countries that have better vaccination rates than the EU.

The commission said its objective of timely access to vaccines for EU citizens is still not being met.

Therefore it has introduced new criteria for the authorisation of Covid-19 vaccine distribution which will tighten exports.