Digital Desk Staff
The Cabinet has agreed an advanced purchase order for 875,000 doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, according to the Irish Examiner.
The company filed for European approval yesterday which they must secure in order for the doses to be distributed here.
The EU aims to purchase approximately 80 million doses of the vaccine, of which Ireland will receive just over 1 per cent.
The Moderna agreement means Ireland has now secured access to five Covid-19 vaccines being developed, which would see us receive over 10 million doses.
Despite some vaccines, such as the Pfizer and Oxford University/AstraZeneca requiring two doses, public health experts here are confident the supply will be enough to vaccinate the whole population.
Yesterday, the second meeting of the Government's Covid-19 vaccine taskforce was held, with a nationwide vaccination plan expected early this month.
The taskforce includes senior representatives from the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, as well as public health experts.
It is expected frontline workers and vulnerable groups will receive the vaccine first but no final decision have yet been made.
