Additional deliveries of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine

The Department of Health has received further consignments of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

The deliveries brings the number of vaccines delivered to NI to almost 50,000.

Northern Ireland is part of a UK wide distribution system and is receiving its supply based on its share of the UK population.

The vaccination programme was launched last Tuesday and continues to prioritise care home residents and staff – in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation guidance.

Vaccination of health and social care staff will also be rolled out from next week, as available supplies permit.

The priority stages for staff deployment are set out in the framework published on the Department's website last week:

Plans are being developed which should allow for the vaccinating of people aged 80 and over to begin.

Health Minister Robin Swann welcomed the news of the latest delivery, adding: “I also want to pay tribute to everyone who has worked so hard on the planning and delivery of this historic vaccination programme.”

Further deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are scheduled for later this month.

The roll-out of Northern Ireland’s full vaccination programme will be accelerated by the approval of further vaccines.

It is anticipated that the vaccination programme will continue until the summer of 2021. It will be undertaken on a phased basis, with priority given to age and other clinical vulnerability factors.

Subject to the availability of a suitable vaccine, it is intended from early in the New Year to expand roll-out through primary care led vaccination clinics.

As a precaution anyone who is pregnant or breast feeding or who is planning to get pregnant in the next three months is advised not to get the vaccine. Anyone planning to get pregnant beyond that period can be vaccinated.

Notes to editors: 

1. For media enquiries please contact the DoH Press Office by email: pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk.
2. Follow us on twitter @healthdpt.
    
3. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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