HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid has said it will do "everything in its power" to complete the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines for over 70s within the original timeframe, but must first re-asses the implications of not using the AstraZeneca vaccine for this cohort of the population.
Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, Mr Reid said vaccination of the over 85s will go ahead from mid-February, as the HSE are anxious to get the most vulnerable vaccinated.
Mr Reid that decision is now policy, and the next 48 hours will be spent reorganising and realigning how best to deliver the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines to the over 70s with the agreement of GPs.