Taoiseach Micheál Martin has praised the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine in the State, confirming 72.4 per cent of the adult population are now fully vaccinated.
On Saturday evening, Mr Martin tweeted rollout of vaccines in the Republic has now surpassed the UK's where 72.1 pe cent of the adult population is fully vaccinated.
"The vaccine rollout is continuing at great pace," he said.
"Today we edged ahead of our nearest neighbours - a brilliant effort by everyone involved," he added.
The vaccine rollout is continuing at great pace.
Today we edged ahead of our nearest neighbours - a brilliant effort by everyone involved.
➡️Ireland: 72.4% of adults fully vaccinated
➡️UK: 72.1% of adults fully vaccinated— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 31, 2021
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The latest update coincides with the opening of walk-in vaccination centres around the country on Saturday. Over 16's can now attend a participating centre if they have not yet receive their first dose.
The HSE said if this weekend's pilot of walk-in vaccination centres is a success it will continue.
The Department of Health confirmed 1,427 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday evening, with 164 people in hospital with the virus, 26 of whom are in ICU.
Today we have reached the milestone of 300,000 cases reported in Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic.
Today we have also seen how solidarity continues to be the hallmark of our response with young people across the country lining up to get vaccinated...
(1/2)— Dr Tony Holohan (@DrTonyHolohan) July 31, 2021
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan urged anyone who has not yet received a vaccine to do so "as soon as possible".
Dr Holohan said the State has now passed 300,000 Covid cases since the beginning of the pandemic last year, but added: "Today we have also seen how solidarity continues to be the hallmark of our response with young people across the country lining up to get vaccinated...both to protect themselves and to play their part in protecting the community."
