Johnson & Johnson has said it would start delivering its single-shot Covid-19 vaccine to Europe on 19 April, giving the continent a boost as it struggles to speed up its vaccination drive.
The pharmaceutical giant's jab was approved by European Union regulators in mid-March, following approval of vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
The 27-nation EU has signed a firm order for 200 million doses and an option for 200 million more.
Ireland is set to receive 2.2 million doses of the vaccine.
As well as being the first that requires just a single injection rather than two, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is easier to store.
The European Medicines Agency gave the green light after saying clinical trials involving volunteers in the United States, South Africa and South American countries found the J&J jab was 67% effective at preventing people from getting Covid-19.
Several European countries have enacted new restrictions to curb a surge of infections, as vaccination campaigns have been slower than in other countries such as the United States or Britain.
