Vaccine roll-out is set to slow down as supplies drop, says HSE chief

The number of people receiving a Covid-19 vaccine will fall next week as supplies decrease, HSE chief Paul Reid has said.

After several weeks of peak vaccination, including 347,000 last week, supplies of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will fall back.

Mr Reid said around 300,000 vaccines will be administered this week; 162,000 of those had been administered by Wednesday.

However, next week it will revert back to around 280,000 vaccines.

Pfizer brought forward some of its promised deliveries in quarter three to quarter two, which allowed for the accelerated roll-out in recent weeks.

Around 11,000 people aged over 50 who had not opted in as part of the earlier vaccination offer have since been vaccinated by pharmacists who have supplies of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson jab.

So far, two million adults are fully vaccinated and 70pc partially vaccinated.

It now appears the Delta variant will peak next month, but the vaccination roll-out will not be able to outpace it.

Mr Reid said: “We need to be honest with people. Over the next few weeks there is an exposure.

“There is no doubt we are actually in a very real race to get the vaccines out ahead of the potential increase in the spread of Delta.

“We are closing the gap every day with more and more vaccines being administered.”

Asked about promised supplies of around one million doses of Pfizer vaccine from Romania, he said the arrangements were with the Department of Health and authorities in Romania.

Meanwhile, Damien McCallion, who oversees vaccinations, said fewer than 100,000 of 60 to 69year-olds are still waiting for a second AstraZeneca vaccine.

He said 75pc have appointments and the rest will be scheduled over the week.

Figures from the HSE yesterday showed 63pc of people aged 60 to 69 were fully vaccinated.

This compared with 82pc of those aged 50 to 59 who were given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Forty-two per cent of people in their 40s are fully vaccinated.

All people in their 60s will have a second AstraZeneca vaccine by Sunday week, the HSE said.

There are delays for 35 to 39-year-olds.

“Some vaccine centres are quicker than others, Mr McCallion said.

“Some people will be given vaccines at other centres if there’s a long list of people ahead of them in their nearest centre.”

The portal for registration opened for people aged 30 to 34 earlier this week.

People who are in their 20s can expect to be invited to register next month, with a second dose due in September.

The HSE said yesterday that people who are fully vaccinated and are found to be a close contact of someone who tests positive for the virus will no longer be required to self-isolate as long as they do not have symptoms.

However, if they are a close contact and do have potential symptoms of the virus, they will be required to self-isolate.

Around one in five people aged 30 to 39 are now fully vaccinated.

This is partly due to the roll-out to healthcare workers and people with underlying conditions.