The Covid-19 vaccine registration portal is now likely to open at the end of this week or next Monday for people in their 30s.
Two political sources informed The Irish Times of the update regarding the rollout of the jabs to the next age cohort, who will be offered vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna.
A source said on Tuesday that a substantial increase in supply over recent weeks had also been matched by a scaling-up of the administration of the vaccine programme, which will continue throughout June.
The source said the “profile will change” over the course of July, with a focus on using the two mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna going forward.
The AstraZeneca vaccine will continue to be used to complete second doses for those who already received a first dose with that particular jab, they said.
'Swiftly'
The HSE has said “we hope to move to the next age cohorts as swiftly as the previous ones and they will be advised to register shortly”.
People aged 40 and over can currently register online for the Covid-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, anyone over the age of 50 who has not yet received a vaccine can now get one in their local pharmacy.
They do not need to register online for the service but will instead need to book a vaccine appointment with a participating pharmacist from a list on the HSE’s website.
The progression of the State’s plan to reopen society and the economy is dependent on the continued rollout of vaccines, amid concern over the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant.
Reopening bolstered
Reopening plans have been bolstered by anticipated large deliveries of AstraZeneca vaccines by the end of June. Large deliveries of Pfizer vaccines are also expected, with 317,000 due to arrive next week.
That will lead to nine weeks’ worth of vaccination being compressed into five, in what is a significant acceleration of the State programme, according to senior Government sources.
The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said most people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine will have got their second jab by the time international travel restrictions are eased next month.
Responding to reports that hundreds of thousands waiting on their second dose will not be able to travel abroad, Mr Ryan said they would be getting texts in the coming weeks to attend appointments for their next inoculation.
He told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this will mainly apply to those over 60 who have already received a first AstraZeneca dose.
The Minister also said on Tuesday that people travelling from Britain to Ireland must quarantine for 10 days instead of five to slow the spread of the Delta variant as vaccines continue to roll out.
