HSE has 50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with another ten thousand on the way

NPHET, The National Public Health Emergency Team, is expected to issue an update in relation to the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine following meetings with the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

It follows yesterday's ruling by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of blood clots in those who receive it, but that it may be associated with very rare clots in vessels draining blood from the brain.

The Health Service Executive has around 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in its cold storage facility ready to go.

In addition, it is expecting a delivery of another 9,600 doses from the company before the end of this weekend.

The EMA has said the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the risk of side effects but that product information for the vaccine should be updated to include more information on these risks.