Vaccination of people with underlying conditions to begin

The vaccination of people aged 16 to 69 with conditions that put them at risk of severe COVID-19 disease will begin to receive their vaccines from next week.

Dr Colm Henry, Chief Clinical Officer, said today that the HSE has written to hospitals giving them “a pretty tight deadline” to identify as many of these patients as possible.

He said GPs and advocacy groups will also help to identify patients.

This cohort of patients will receive the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Most of them will receive their vaccines in hospital settings, but others may go to a GP practice.