A fifth Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for use in the State by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.
Niac have recommended that Nuvaxovid, a shot developed by US company Novavax, can be used in those aged 18 and over.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has accepted the recommendations which the Department of Health said had been endorsed by chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan.
The European Medicines Agency approved the vaccine for use in December. The vaccine is easy to store and transport as it can be kept at normal fridge temperatures, raising hopes that it will help to plug a deep gap in vaccine provision between richer and poorer countries. It is also based on a more traditional vaccine technology than the more novel mRNA vaccines.
The European Commission and Novavax signed a contract in August for the delivery of up to 200 million doses, of which half is optional.
The Minister said the vaccine was given in two doses with an interval of three weeks between doses.
Severe disease
Mr Donnelly said in statement on Saturday: “The vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in preventing symptomatic, moderate and severe disease. We expect the vaccine to be available next month, and I would urge the small number of people who have yet to come forward for a primary course of a Covid-19 vaccine to do so.
“This vaccine will also be suitable for those individuals who could not avail of another Covid-19 vaccine because of a medical contra-indication eg allergic reaction.”
On Saturday, the number of people being treated for Covid-19 in Irish hospitals has dropped to its lowest level so far this year, with 649 people currently hospitalised for the virus.
There were 649 people with coronavirus in hospitals across Ireland at 11.30am on Saturday, with 90 discharges in the previous 24 hours.
One week ago, on January 22nd, there were 824 people receiving hospital care for Covid, while the week before, on January 15th, 947 people were in hospital with the virus.
The latest drop in hospitalisations brings the number of people receiving treatment close to levels seen in late December 31st 2021, when hospitalisations were at 618.
Intensive care
Some 66 people continue to receive ICU care, down from the 89 Covid patients receiving intensive care two weeks ago.
Data released on Thursday shows Galway University Hospital is caring for the highest number of Covid patients followed by the Mater and Beaumont hospitals in Dublin.
Another 5,109 PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported in Ireland on Friday, while 4,482 more people have registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
These figures were among the latest Covid-19 data reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Friday evening. The Department of Health said on Friday the daily case numbers would no longer be reported at the weekends and that the figure for Saturdays and Sunday would now be recorded on Mondays.
Nearly 92 per cent of people in the State have been vaccinated against Covid-19 including around 100,000 children aged 5-11 years.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn urged parents and guardians considering whether to get their child vaccinated to be careful about the information they rely on. “If you are in a position where you are considering getting your child vaccinated, please go the HSE website or talk to your GP who will be more than happy to discuss the benefits of the vaccination with you so you can make an informed decision,” said Dr Glynn in a Twitter video on Friday.
“From my own perspective, as a dad with a child in this age group, we went to the HSE website, we looked at all of the information there on the benefits and the potential risks of the vaccination, and having considered all that data, we decided to get our child vaccinated.”
Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland the deaths of three further people who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 were reported.
The North’s Department of Health said another 3,590 confirmed cases of the virus had also been notified in the last 24-hour reporting period. – Additional reporting: PA
