Over 75,000 children register for Covid vaccine in first 48hrs

Children aged 12 to 15 will starts to receive a Covid-19 vaccine this weekend (Brian Lawless/PA)

Over 75,000 children in the 12 to 15 age cohort have registered for a Covid-19 vaccine in the first 48 hours after the online portal opened.

More than 10,000 had received the Moderna or Pfizer jab within 24 hours of registering. 

Sharing the news on Twitter, chief executive of the HSE Paul Reid said children have sacrificed "so much" throughout the pandemic and they have "shown maturity beyond their years." 

"Vaccinations are our way out of this awful period."

Yesterday I witnessed many parents & their children from 12 to 15 attending a vaccination centre in Carrick on Shannon. Children have sacrificed so much in this pandemic too & they have shown maturity beyond their years. Vaccinations are our way out of this awful period.@HSELive

— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) August 14, 2021

It comes as more than 80% of the adult population in Ireland is now fully vaccinated with around 90% partially vaccinated.

Speaking to Newsalk today, Dr Gabriel Scally said he doesn't believe young people are likely to be "taken in" by some of the "absolutely dreadful, spurious stories and scares" regarding vaccinations. 

Dr Gabriel Scally said young people are less vaccine-hesitant 

"I don’t think that will have any impact on young people at all," he said.

“A lot of young people are used to vaccinations."

While the coronavirus doesn't impact children as badly as older generations, there are children who are vulnerable and need to be protected.

"The best protection they can have at school is being amongst a classroom who are also protected by the protection the vaccine gives.”

“Children and young people do get long Covid," and while it is "very, very few," some do end up in hospital with the disease.