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Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine arrives in Ireland

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Ireland has received its first batch of the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine.

Ireland's Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, confirmed the doses are in cold storage.

The first vaccinations are expected to be administered in Ireland on Wednesday, RTÉ reports.

It comes as the Republic of Ireland returned to stricter coronavirus restrictions on Christmas Eve with the closure of restaurants, hairdressers and gastro pubs.

No new inter-county travel is allowed as part of the new restrictions which will be reviewed on 12 January.

Household visits will be reduced to one other household from 27 December.

Welcoming the arrivaal of the vaccine, Health Service CEO Paul Reid said public health along the vaccine made way for "a brighter future."

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On Friday, the Department of Health confirmed 1,025 new cases of Covid-19 with two further deaths.

There have now been a total of 2,192 Covid-19-related deaths in the Republic of Ireland, and a total of 83,073 confirmed cases.