The European Medicines Agency’s safety committee will meet today, as part of its investigation into the AstraZeneca vaccine.
It will also hold an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, when it will make a final call on whether the Covid-19 jab is safe.
Ireland’s among several European countries that have temporarily stopped using the vaccine, over fears it causes blood clots.
Professor Karina Butler, the head of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, says she’s aware this could cause some vaccine scepticism.
Hospitals
NPHET’s urging people not to have takeaway pints or buy ‘cans’ on St Patrick’s Day tomorrow.
It has also raised concerns about Covid-19 hospital admissions.
There were 360 people with the virus in hospital yesterday, after the number rose for two days in a row. (Figures for St Luke’s General for Carlow and Kilkenny were not available at time of publishing, 6:20am).
85 are in ICU, while no deaths were reported and 575 new cases were confirmed yesterday, 20 of them in Carlow with up to four in Kilkenny.
Professor Philip Nolan, who chairs NPHET’s modelling group, says he’s concerned at the hospital situation.
Elsewhere
It’s claimed fewer 16-to-21 year-olds will choose to go to university in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Figures from housebuilder Redrow in the UK found 42% of young people say they’re more likely to consider on-the-job learning instead.
It also suggests 36% have become concerned about their employment prospects since the start of the outbreak.
It’s as details on when the non-essential retail and hospitality sectors in Scotland can reopen will be unveiled later.
The first minister Nicola Sturgeon says she can’t provide certainty, but will “try to provide as much clarity as possible”.
Initial changes are due in early April.
Meanwhile, two woodlands will be created in Wales in memory of those who have died from Covid-19.
The locations in the north and south of the country will be a permanent memorial for families to remember their loved ones.
Today marks one year since the first death from disease was confirmed in Wales.
