Around 15,000 Covid vaccinations planned for today have had to be cancelled following the change in advice on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
This decision was based on a recommendation by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee following reports from several European countries of unusual but severe clotting occuring as a very rare side-effect of the vaccine.
The HSE will now assess the possible longer-term effects of the change of plan.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said yesterday that the decision to restrict Astrazeneca to people over 60 will “not necessarily” have a “material impact or delay on the roll-out of the vaccination programme”.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee have recommended that those under 60 who already received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should have the interval between their first and second doses extended to 16 weeks, from 12, to allow for further assessment of the benefits and risks of the vaccine.