More than 30% of the country has now received first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine

The vaccination centre at the Helix at Dublin City University (DCU). Picture: Julien Behal

More than 30% of the population aged 16 or over have now received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest figures.

In total, 1,621,870 jabs had been administered in the country as of Monday, May 3.

Some 1,174,292 people have received their first dose, while 447,578 (11.5% of the country) have got their second.

Close to 200,000 jabs were administered last week, with more than 44,000 coming on Friday alone.

The HSE now hopes to be in a position to administer another 220,000 to 240,000 doses this week.

Of the vaccines administered here, the vast majority were the Covid-19 BioNTech jab. 

A record 401,480 vaccines doses arrived in the country last week, 191,880 of which were from Pfizer.

A full breakdown of vaccines delivered to Ireland can be seen below:

Breakdown of vaccines delivered. Source: Dept of Health

80% to be given first dose by June

Speaking this morning, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the Government was aiming to have offered a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to 80% of Irish adults over the age of 16 by the end of June.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin had previously said the target was 82%.

The Minister said that the Department of Health and the HSE were continuing to administer vaccines as soon as possible following their arrival into the country.

He said it would be possible for 450,000 vaccines a week to be delivered sometime soon, dependent on supply, and that vaccine centres could remain open 24 hours per day to facilitate this.

"If we needed to run them late at night, early in the morning, then we can do that,” he told Ireland AM this morning.

Mr Donnelly said recent issues around the supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine had made the rollout “very bumpy”, but that the extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine had helped keep things on track.

"As things stand today, if we get the vaccines in according to schedule, and if we keep getting them out as soon as they come into the country, then we then we will be at around 80% at the end of June," he said.

Revised rollout plan

At present, the Cabinet is considering a revised vaccination programme, following the confirmation last night that Ireland would receive at least 4.9m vaccines each year in 2022 and 2023 under a deal struck between Pfizer and the European Union.

Mr Donnelly is currently reviewing recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) and from the HSE around the vaccine rollout programme.

A revised version of the programme is due to be published in the coming days.