Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important question. I urge everybody called for their second vaccine dose to take that dose. It is the best protection we can give to one another and it is extremely important that this happens. The HSE has brought forward the interval for the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine so by mid-July, all that age cohort should have their second dose of AstraZeneca. That is a significant advance on what was originally planned. It will give up to 92% protection against the Delta variant, which is important.

The national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, has not recommended the mixing of vaccines and the committee has said it is important that people take the vaccine available to them as soon as that is offered. Once the AstraZeneca programme is concluded, we will be down to the two mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

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