Biggest delivery of Pfizer vaccines arrives today — young people to get jab in 'coming weeks' 

The vaccine programme is set to ramp up as the AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are to be approved for all adults.

Some 318,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines will arrive here today in the biggest delivery so far.

More than four million Covid-19 jabs have been administered so far, with two-thirds of people getting at least one dose.

The vaccine programme is set to ramp up as the AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are to be approved for all adults.

They are currently only used on over-50s.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) recommended to Government earlier this week that the AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines can be administered to 18 to 40-year-olds.

The committee has also recommended that the AstraZeneca vaccine dose gap be reduced to four weeks, to allow more people in their 60s to be fully vaccinated faster.

Previously, the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson jabs were recommended for over-50s only due to incidences of rare blood clotting being linked to the vaccines.

Dr Anne Moore, a vaccines expert in UCC, is encouraging younger people not to turn them down when they are offered.

“The vaccine is very safe. It’s very effective in the under 40s," she said.

“I think everybody needs to know the benefits and the small, tiny, element of risk that there is as well and make an informed decision.

But definitely, I would recommend that everybody take the first vaccine that they’re offered and seek out ways to make themselves available to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

A Government statement on Tuesday said that more than four million doses have been administered.

More than 40% of the population are now fully vaccinated, the Government said.

HSE chief Paul Reid said there is “continued strong momentum” on the vaccine programme.

Mr Reid said that “well over 100,000” doses have been administered in the first two days this week.

It comes as the Government announced a delay in the reopening of indoor dining and activities until at least July 19.

The Government has said that pending the implementation of a system to verify vaccination or immunity, indoor services will not proceed.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has accepted it is unfair to tell young people to work in hospitality but not use it if they haven’t got the jab.

“I don't think anything's fair about this pandemic and science isn't always fair.

“It is unfair, but this is the reality that faces us,” he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

Mr Varadkar added that the best thing that could be done for young people was to get them vaccinated as soon as possible which was why the news on AstraZeneca and Janssen meant they could be vaccinated in the coming weeks.