Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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178. To ask the Minister for Health if he will request the national immunisation advisory committee to review the interval between the administration of the first and the second dose of a vaccine (details supplied) given the arrival of the Indian variant to Ireland and the vulnerability of many of those who have received the first dose of the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30516/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On 4 June I announced a shorter interval between doses for the Vaxzevria® (AstraZeneca) vaccine. This follows updated recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), which have been endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer. NIAC has concluded that those of any age (without any previous COVID-19 infection), who have received their first dose of Vaxzevria® should receive their second dose 8-12 weeks later.

The HSE recently received updated advice from NIAC in relation to reducing the dosing interval for the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine from 12 weeks to 8. Extensive planning has been required to put in place a programme that will now see the remaining, approximately 450,000 people, in receipt of the AstraZeneca vaccine fully immunised through the administration of this second dose by the end of July.