Irish Examiner view: Progress made on vaccine rollout but Indian variant on rise

80% of the adult population could be vaccinated either partially or fully next month although Covid complacency appears to be growing

There are calls for shortening the time between doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine; the first dose of the vaccine provides only 30% protection against the Indian variant while the second dose raises it to at least 80%.

This week marks the time when half the population of Ireland received at least one Covid-19 vaccine. 

The prospect is that 80% of the adult population could be vaccinated either partially or fully next month. 

That’s the good news, and it is to the HSE’s credit that the vaccination programme continues apace, despite the cyberattack on its IT systems. 

The not-so-good news is twofold.

Covid complacency appears to be growing and so are the number of cases of the Indian variant. 

Along with that, UK research shows that those in the 60-70 age group may have lower protection against that variant.

Labour Party leader Alan Kelly wants Ireland to follow the example of Britain and shorten the waiting time for the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine for that age group from 12 weeks to eight. 

This is because the first AZ dose provides only 30% protection against the variant while the second dose raises it to at least 80%.

Mr Kelly has a point. Allowing the 60-70 age group have the lowest level of protection and the longest waiting time for their second dose makes no sense.