Elaine Loughlin: Increasing the interval between doses could be the vaccine bonus Stephen Donnelly needs

Extending the interval between vaccine doses to eight or 12 weeks would see 80% of the population receiving their first dose much sooner than expected

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly TD is expecting to receive advise from health officials in the coming days regarding extending the interval between vaccine doses. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

In extending the interval between doses of the Covid vaccine, is Stephen Donnelly simply trying to paper over the cracks in a calamitous vaccination rollout?

Or with more people vaccinated, would the health minister's latest idea give us certainty over the summer?