{"id":20663,"date":"2021-03-27T10:27:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-27T14:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=20663"},"modified":"2021-03-29T10:33:45","modified_gmt":"2021-03-29T14:33:45","slug":"20663","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=20663","title":{"rendered":"Foster Recieves Her First Vaccine Shot In Co Fermanagh"},"content":{"rendered":"

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First Minister Arlene Foster recieving her first Covid vaccination at Castle Park Leisure Centre in Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, from local GP Dr John Porteous<\/figcaption><\/figure>Northern Ireland\u2019s First Minister has received her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n

Arlene Foster was given an AstraZeneca jab by GP Dr John Porteous at the Castle Park leisure center in Lisnaskea in her Co Fermanagh constituency on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n

The 50-year-old DUP leader became eligible for the vaccine earlier this month when Northern Ireland\u2019s program opened to the 50-and-over age cohort.<\/p>\n

Stormont deputy First Minister Michelle O\u2019Neill and Health Minister Robin Swann will have to wait to be vaccinated as they are in the 40 to 49 age bracket.<\/p>\n

As of Friday, 825,310 vaccines had been administered in Northern Ireland \u2014 711,673 of which were first doses and 113,637 were second doses.<\/p>\n

The region is on course to offer first jabs to the entire adult population \u2014 1.4 million \u2014 by July.<\/p>\n

On Monday a new mass vaccination center will begin operations in Belfast\u2019s SSE Arena.<\/p>\n

After receiving her jab, Mrs Foster said: \u201cI\u2019m just delighted to take my turn and get the vaccine today.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a really positive community spirit here and across all of our centers in a collective effort to combat Covid-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am grateful to all of the wonderful team of medics and volunteers who are making this happen in GP practices and centers across Northern Ireland every day of the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe program is having real results. We are seeing falling levels of infection in our over-60s and I\u2019m heartened to see the number of active outbreaks in our care homes reduce well into single figures.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis week we hit more milestones as over 700,000 got the vaccine for the first time and over 110,000 people got their second jab.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pleased now to be one of those important statistics. The more of us that get the vaccine, the quicker we will find our way out of this.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe program is now expanding with the launch of the SSE Arena facility on Monday. I would encourage everyone who is eligible to step up and get booked in, to help protect themselves and their community.\u201d<\/p>\n

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