First doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to be administered to healthcare workers from today

21,600 doses of the vaccine arrived into the country on Saturday, less than the 35,000 promised.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has been ruled out for use on people over 65.

Meanwhile, people over 85 will begin to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from GPs from a week today.

A number of mass vaccination centres have been set up across the country including at City Hall. 

Cork GP and member of NPHET Dr Mary Favier says GPs are ready:

"General practitioners have been very busy across the winter. As has everybody in the health care services. But as a general rule, we're looking forward to this challenge. GP's always like vaccination, it's one of the things we enjoy doing every year, whether it's right through from the childhood stuff through to the influenza campaign. It brings enthusiasm, it brings optimism, and I think COVID is going to be quite special from that point of view."