Worrying research has emerged that shows older people aged over 65 are very likely to catch COVID-19 for a second time.
As younger people manage to develop an 80% rate of immunity against the coronavirus, those aged 65 or over are likely to only have 47% protection once they've had the disease.
It's a stark reminder of how important it is to protect the elderly from the disease as those aged 65 are over are most likely to suffer serious effects that last long term or even result in death.
The groundbreaking research has been published in The Lancet highlights the need for an urgent vaccine rollout, the Irish Independent reports.
The study does not include the effects of re-infection with new, potentially more infectious, strains of COVID-19 such as the "Kent" B117 variation that is responsible for the majority of recent cases in Ireland.
Authors of the study say it shows how important it is to use safety precautions for COVID-19 around the elderly, but that further analysis is needed around the newer strains of the virus.
In a major blow to the vaccine rollout here, GPs have been told that supplies for next week's phase of vaccine rollout in Ireland for those between 75 and 79-years-old will be 35-40% lower.
A letter from the IMO warns that the allocation of vaccines remains limited by supply.
Around 80,500 vaccines are to be available next week, with hopes that the AstraZeneca jab will be deemed safe once again by the end of this week.
But the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine once again will take time due to 30,000 appointments being cancelled when use was suspended on Sunday.
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