There have been 1,522 new Covid-19 cases in Ireland in the last 24 hours.
217 patients are now struggling in hospital with the deadly virus, with 34 of those in ICU
Meanwhile, children aged between 12 and 15 years old will begin to get their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine from this weekend, the HSE has said.
There are around 280,000 children within this age group.
The online portal to register for a vaccine appointment is set to open on Thursday for 12-15 year olds and will require the consent of the child’s parent or guardian.
Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of the HSE National Immunisation Office said a strong uptake is expected as there is enthusiasm among parents about vaccinating their children.
She said that children will be vaccinated with mRNA vaccines - either Pfizer or Moderna.
Dr Jessop stressed the importance for parents and children to read up-to-date information on vaccines before making a decision on whether to have their child vaccinated.
She said: “It’s important that a parent make the right choice for their family.”
Dr Jessop said no additional safety concerns have been reported where these vaccines have been used among 12 to 15-year-olds.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, she said that most children in this age cohort recover well from Covid-19, but there have been rare instances of children being admitted to hospital or to intensive care, while some children can develop Long Covid.
