Following an agreement with Romania and the EU, Ireland has secured almost 700,000 additional doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD today (Tuesday) signed an agreement for the purchase with the extra vaccines to be used to support the continued acceleration of the vaccination programme to younger people. The additional doses, which are being secured directly from Pfizer, are a redistribution of supplies which had originally been ordered by Romania.

Vaccine manufacturer Pfizer has yet to confirm the precise dates for the delivery of this additional supply, which is expected to arrive in Ireland this month.

Minister Donnelly expressed his thanks to Romania and said the deal underlined the benefits of the European approach to vaccine procurement.

“On behalf of the Government, I wish to sincerely thank our colleagues in Romania, including His Excellency President Iohannis and his officials. The agreement underlines the benefits of European solidarity with regards to vaccine procurement.

“More than 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been distributed across the European Union. The increased availability of vaccine supply has enabled Ireland to accelerate its vaccination programme over recent months and this week is expected to see the six millionth dose administered in Ireland since the vaccination programme began.”