Almost 200,000 Covid vaccine doses administered

The latest HSE Covid-19 vaccination figures show that 150,500 first doses have been administered up to the end of January.

It said that 49,300 second doses have also been administered. It gives a total of 199,800 doses administered.

The HSE has received 207,330 vaccines to date, according to Paul Reid, the head of the HSE, in a posting on Twitter.

We have received a total of 207,330 #COVID19 vaccines to date in Ireland. Up to last night we have completed almost 200,000 (199,800). Plenty of bumbs on the road so far, but credit to all involved. We'll continue to mobilise to meet supply. @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) February 1, 2021

The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) has said that there was an issue with the vaccination data reported from Ireland, which resulted in an incorrect figure of 438,006 total vaccinations being put up for Ireland in the ECDC's new Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker today.

The ECDC told RTÉ News that it was in touch with Ireland and was in the process of getting the data corrected.

"We have not included data from Northern Ireland," it said.

The ECDC said that member states may upload data at any time, but as a minimum, they are requested to report on a biweekly basis every Tuesday, for the previous week and every Friday for the current week.

It said this may lead to some discrepancies between the national figures and the figures published by ECDC.

The ECDC said its tracker strives to give an overview of country efforts in the roll out of Covid-19 vaccines, providing data that is as accurate and as timely as possible, "in these early phases of vaccination campaigns".

Today, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended that the AstraZeneca vaccine can be an option for people over 65 years of age, RTÉ News has confirmed.

The committee met today to further consider the vaccine and has written to the Chief Medical Officer with its recommendations.

German authorities have decided not to use the vaccine in over 65s having raised questions about its efficacy.

The European Medicines Agency approved the vaccine for people aged 18 years and older last week.

The NIAC decision today means that the AstraZeneca vaccine can be considered as an option, along with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and Moderna.

The decision on what vaccine to use by the HSE for over 65s will involve what the patient wants, logistics and the supply of vaccines.

Ireland is due to get 400,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses in the first quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital is 1,436, while the number in intensive care has reduced to 207.

According to the HSE, the hospitals dealing with the largest number of cases are St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, University Hospital Waterford, and Cork University Hospital.

It came as the INMO has said it wanted to know who has received a Covid-19 vaccine and where they are based within the healthcare system.

Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said she expected the HSE to give details of all those who have been vaccinated up until now on Wednesday.

This, she said, is really important because the INMO needs to know who is left to vaccinate and what protections are needed until there is full coverage.

She said that there is clear evidence that frontline healthcare workers are more likely to get the virus than anybody else, and that the rate of infection in Ireland is highest among nurses and healthcare workers.

More than 2,100 fined for breaching travel rules

Thousands of fines have been issued for breaches of the Covid-19 public health regulations, according to gardaí.

More than 2,100 fines have been issued by gardaí at checkpoints for breaches of the travel restrictions.

Over the weekend, gardaí intervened at house parties across the country including in counties Dublin, Sligo, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Westmeath, Limerick, Cork and Tipperary.

More than 150 fines were issued for people either organising or attending house parties.

This included some house parties with large groups of up to 30 people at each party.

Between Thursday and yesterday, gardaí issued over 280 fines at Dublin Airport to people for leaving the country for non-essential travel and fines of €100 were issued in each case.

However, from today, the same offence can result in a €500 fine.

Since 9 January, more than 300 people arrived into the country without a valid PCR test.

Yesterday, four people arrived without a PCR test. Gardaí said files will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions in each case.

Over the last few days, gardaí have also attended breaches of health regulations by pubs, restaurants, shops and hair and beauty salons amongst other business premises.

In all instances, files will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Meanwhile, more than 200,000 people who travelled into Ireland's ports and airports between August and January were not contacted despite filling out passenger locator forms.

Aontú TD Peadar Tóibín asked Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly how many people travelled to the State and were adhering to self-isolation requirements.

In his response, Minister Donnelly said there were 712,000 passenger locator forms completed by people arriving since an electronic system was set up on 26 August until 7 January.

He added: "508,000 passengers who completed electronic PLFs and those who completed a valid paper version of the form have all been contacted and have received public health messages."

Mr Tóibín said: "This means 204,000 people who arrived on our shores have not been followed up with.

"Given that 63% of all Covid cases in the State are now the British variant, which arrived here during this time period, I have no doubt that the lax attitude of this Government to international travel has led directly to the widescale damage to health and society."

314 new cases and 11 further deaths in Northern Ireland

A further 11 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland, taking the official Department of Health toll to 1,861.

There are also 314 new cases from tests on 1,354 individuals.

There are 735 confirmed coronavirus patients in hospital, with 64 in ICU, 56 of whom are on ventilators.

The average seven-day infection rate per 100,000 for Northern Ireland is 196.0, the lowest since 19 December.

The area with the highest rate remains Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council on 343.5, followed by Mid Ulster on 326.7.

The area with the lowest rate remains Derry and Strabane on 90.3.

It comes as Health Minister Robin Swann told the Assembly today that almost a quarter of a million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered in Northern Ireland.

As of Sunday, 246,421 doses had been administered, comprising 221,809 first doses and 24,612 second doses.

Those aged 70 and over are receiving the AstraZeneca jab from their GPs while those aged 65 and over are invited to book an appointment at one of seven regional vaccination centres for the Pfizer vaccination.

Additional reporting: Vincent Kearney, David Murphy