Only half the expected AstraZeneca doses to arrive next week

File photo of boxes of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Phohto: Yves Herman/Reuters

Hugh O'Connell

April 11 2021 02:30 AM

Around 14,000 fewer AstraZeneca vaccines will be delivered to Ireland this week after the pharmaceutical giant halved the number of doses it will deliver to all EU countries.

The Government’s vaccine task force has insisted the delivery of only half — 14,400 — of the 28,800 vaccine doses that had been expected will not affect the vaccination programme in the coming week and that AstraZeneca has confirmed that cumulative deliveries for April remain unchanged.

“This delivery change, which comes after the record 112,000 AZ delivery last week, has already been built into our vaccination plans for the coming week, so no further changes will be required. The delivery after next will be bigger than originally scheduled,” a spokesman said.

The Government has repeatedly faced issues with deliveries from Astra-
Zeneca which have hampered the vaccine roll-out.

The AstraZeneca vaccine currently accounts for only 20pc of doses expected to be delivered in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, a senior Fianna Fáil TD has called on the HSE to be more transparent about the number of doses delivered and administered each week. Barry Cowen said a weekly breakdown of the exact number of vaccines delivered and administered should be published every Monday.

"We have to be able to measure the ability of the HSE to meet its targets,” he said.

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

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