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The Taoiseach has hailed \u201ca day of great hope\u201d as the first coronavirus vaccine arrived in Ireland on St Stephen\u2019s Day.<\/p>\nThe Taoiseach has hailed \u201ca day of great hope\u201d as the first coronavirus vaccine arrived in Ireland on St Stephen\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first to be approved for use in Ireland by the European Medicines Agency.<\/p>\n
The initial batch of 10,000 doses will begin to be administered on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Miche\u00e1l Martin wrote on Twitter: \u201cThe first delivery of #COVID19 vaccines have arrived in Ireland \u2013 a day of great hope as we head into 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose who work in our health services deserve huge credit as they swiftly and safely begin the roll out to the most vulnerable in our society.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that vaccinations will begin in four days.<\/p>\n
The Minister posted a picture on Twitter of himself standing next to the ultra-low temperature fridges needed to store the vaccine.<\/p>\n
He wrote: \u201cWhen is a fridge worth photographing? When it\u2019s just had Ireland\u2019s first #Covid vaccines put in it<\/p>\n
!The first doses have just arrived and many of them are sitting in that very, very cold fridge. We\u2019ll begin vaccinating in four days.\u201d<\/p>\n
HSE chief executive Paul Reid described Saturday as a \u201cmomentous day\u201d for the country.<\/p>\n
He tweeted: \u201cAn early morning start to a momentous day. Heading off to take receipt of the first delivery of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for the HSE. There will be better days ahead for sure. For now, #StaySafe\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Reid later posted a video of the vaccines being transported in a warehouse.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIts arrived! Taking delivery of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine into our Cold Chain Storage this morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can now have a \u201ctwin track\u201d approach to our response to #COVID19. Public health measures along with the vaccine, for a brighter future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The vaccine is to be supplied to the most vulnerable in society first, such as nursing home residents.<\/p>\n
However, Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has warned it will be up to six months before things start to return to normal.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe first six months of 2021 we will see improvements, but we certainly not will see normality in the first six months.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said the initial phase will make a \u201csignificant difference\u201d and protect the most vulnerable.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cCertainly manufacturing of the vaccine will be ramped up, certainly from March onwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said May and June have been identified as \u201ccritical\u201d months, adding: \u201cFrom the summer on we will see a degree of normality but I cannot be definite about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said recent concern over the emergence of a mutant strain of Covid-19 in parts of England highlight the continued uncertainty.<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach expressed confidence in vaccine supplies in the long-term.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the end of January you will have three vaccines, and what I am saying is conservative.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can also see a scenario where manufacturing ramps up more quickly and where higher volumes of vaccines goes to member states more quickly, that is a more hopeful scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n
The State entered its third lockdown on Christmas Eve as a range of restrictions were introduced.<\/p>\n
Bars, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons have shut in a bid to stifle the spread of coronavirus.<\/p>\n