The single-dose Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine should be available in Ireland by April and will be a game-changer in the plan to vaccinate the entire population, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said. The EU has procured 200 million doses of the vaccine with the option to buy 200 million more, putting Ireland in line for roughly 2.2 million doses. As the vaccine requires only a single dose and can be stored in normal refrigerators, it is seen as a potential game-changer for vaccination campaigns. Mr Varadkar, sources said, asked why some vaccine doses were being held in stock when the stated plan was to distribute them as soon as they arrived. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is said to have expressed confidence during the meeting that up to 1.2 million vaccine doses would be available in this quarter and 4 million-4.5 million doses in the next.

Source: The Irish Times February 17, 2021 03:00 UTC