IRELAND'S one-millionth Covid-19 vaccine is set to be administered today, health officials have confirmed.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced on Monday that Ireland would hit the landmark number this week.
Initially, the target was to administer 1.25 million vaccines by the end of March, but supply issues have affected distribution of vaccines across the world, and has slowed Ireland's roll-out significantly.
Administering one million vaccines by early April is still cause for celebration, particularly after Tánaiste Leo Varadkar hinted that the programme is about to be kicked up a gear or two over the coming weeks.
"I know a lot of people might feel that they're never going to get vaccinated. We're going to surprise you," Varadkar said on Monday.
"We anticipate that by the middle of May the majority of adults will have had their first dose, and the over 70s will have been fully vaccinated.
Covid-19 vaccine"And by the end of June the vast, vast majority, more than 80% of people, will have been offered the first dose.
"We’d hope to do even better than that as well and many will have their second dose too. So you know, really the acceleration phase, the ramp up phase is April, May and June.
"With the addition of the fourth vaccine, the single dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine that gets a little easier still.
"Like I say most adults will have had their first dose by the end of May, that’s not too far away."
Ireland's one-millionth jab follows the news that one in six adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
In a tweet, Minister Donnelly wrote: "One in six adults in Ireland has now received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine.
"The no. of people with Covid in ICUs has fallen by about 75% since the peak in late January.
"We've one of the lowest rates of Covid-19 in Europe now. We're making huge progress."
See More: Covid-19 Vaccine, Ireland
