Ireland is to receive an additional 3.3 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine after a new EU deal was struck.
The EU has managed to get 300 million extra doses of the vaccine, meaning the European Union will receive 600,000 doses overall this year.
Up to 1.3 billion doses are to be provided worldwide in 2021, Pfizer has said.
Governments across Europe will now be able to double their order, in a positive step for Ireland as vaccine rollout continues.
Some 15,314 people have received a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine since its rollout began last week.
HSE chief Paul Reid provided the figure for those who've received the Pfizer/BioNTech jab since it arrived on our shores at the end of December.
Speaking at a HSE briefing, he said the rollout began with two deliveries – one on St Stephen's Day and one in the days following – and added that there have been two distributions of the jab so far.
Vulnerable members of society – as well as those working on the frontlines of the country's Covid-19 crisis – have been first in the queue to receive the vaccine
The European Medicines Authority also granted authorisation to Moderna's coronavirus vaccine this week – paving the way for a ramping up of inoculations across Europe.
