The HSE has been "blown away" by the response to the walk-in vaccination centres, CEO Paul Reid says.
Centres across the country are offering walk-in appointments for the first time this weekend.
Yesterday saw many young people queue up from as early as 6am to get their first dose.
Paul Reid says high attendances were seen at centres right across the country, in urban and rural areas.
Weve been "blown away" by attendances at walk in clinics. Young people in Ireland have been to the fore of changing this country for the better. Now they've come out in numbers to protect themselves & us. And we're now ahead of the UK for % of adults fully vaccinated! @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) July 31, 2021
He said: "We've been blown away by the response yesterday, and the number of people showing up at the walk-in centres.
"We knew it was going to be a good opportunity for people who hadn't had the opportunity to come in to have their vaccination... but particularly the [number of] young people who've come forward has really blown us away."
Meanwhile, Ireland now has a higher percentage of adults fully vaccinated than the UK.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland had 'edged ahead' - with 72.4% of adults now fully vaccinated here, compared to 72.1% in the UK.
