Cork University Hospital one of four hospitals involved in vaccine roll out as woman (79) to become first person to receive vaccine today

A 79-year-old woman from Dublin will become the first person in Ireland to receive the Covid-19 vaccine today.

The grandmother, called Annie, will receive the jab in St James's Hospital this afternoon.

Vaccines will also be administered in Beaumont, Cork and Galway university hospitals today. 

Professor Brian MacCraith, the chairman of the vaccine taskforce, says an ICU nurse and junior doctor will also receive the jab today. 

Taoiseach Micheal Martin says the most vulnerable to coronavirus will be receiving them first, "Obviously that will be ramping up significantly to deal, in the first instance, with healthcare settings and nursing home residents throughout January, and into February," he said.