The National Public Health Emergency Team is set to issue an update on the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine today following the suspension of administering the jab here.
Health chiefs made the decision to temporarily stop giving the jabs here due to concerns over reports it may be related to blood clotting issues in some people.
The European Medicines Agency yesterday endorsed the vaccine following a review saying that it was safe and effective and that the benefits outweighed any potential risks involved.
Up to 16 other European countries had also suspended using the vaccine pending the EMA review.
NPHET is set to give an update date this evening on the vaccine this evening following meetings with the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and the Health Products Regulatory body.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, welcomed the good news and said they would make a formal decision on a resumption of using AstraZeneca today.
The health service currently has around 50,000 jabs in fridges ready to go however the HSE has warned that it could take a couple of jabs before the rollout of AstraZeneca vaccines resumes.
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The NPHET leader said that our own experts were reviewing the results last night.
He said: “The HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority) are reviewing the statement (from the EMA) and the findings.
“We’ll be deliberating between the organisations tonight and tomorrow morning, and we’ll issue an update tomorrow once we have come to a position.”
Speaking last night Dr Ronan Glynn also signalled that it could be until June before we see any meaningful easing of Covid restrictions.
He said: "The plan is to proceed very cautiously on the basis of the data that's in front of us, for as long as it takes.
"I'm hopeful that as we move into June, as those who have been most vulnerable are fully vaccinated and as we roll out millions of doses of vaccine to adults, that we'll be in a far, far brighter and better position than we are at the moment."
Professor Philip Nolan added that there is a continued decrease in the number of people in intensive care "although one might worry not [it is] decreasing as quickly as it has been over the preceding five or six weeks".
He said day-on-day cases in age groups that are "more mobile" with higher levels of social mixing are fluctuating in a more volatile manner.
