Ireland to receive 550,000 more Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses than expected

This could make a massive difference to Ireland's vaccine rollout programme.

Ireland is set to receive 550,000 more Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses over the next three months than originally expected. The producer has reached a deal with the European Commission which will see countries in the European Union receive 50 million more Covid-19 vaccines in the second quarter, the head of the EU commission said on Wednesday.

Ursula von der Leyen said the deliveries will likely start this month and will take total supplies to the EU from Pfizer to 250 million doses in the second quarter of this year.

"We have reached an agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech to once again speed up the delivery of vaccine, 50 million additional doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will be delivered beginning in April," she said. "Those vaccines were initially seen for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2021, now they will be delivered in the second quarter of 2021, and that is right now, this will bring the total doses of Pfizer-BioNTech to 250 million doses in the second quarter."

She also confirmed the Commission was in talks with the two companies for a new contract for 1.8 billion doses to be delivered in both 2022 and 2023.

The EU has already signed two contracts with Pfizer and BioNTech for 600 million doses to be delivered this year.

This comes as the HSE's online registration system for the vaccinations of people in the 65-69 age bracket will open Thursday morning. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said the system will be open to those aged 69 tomorrow and to the rest of the cohort from Friday. People will be able to register on the HSE's website using their PPS number and Eircode and then will be called for vaccinations from next week.