The Tanaiste has moved to reassure people over the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine saying he would personally take it if offered.
The vaccine is now only being given to people over 60 following some rare blood clots in younger people.
Thousands of AstraZeneca vaccines have been cancelled today as a result.
Leo Varadkar believes public health officials made the right call in limiting the AstraZeneca vaccine to the over 60 age group.
Leo Varadkar says we'll know in a few days if the country can still vaccinate 80 per cent of the adult population by June, following the new advice.
Balance Of Risk
The Tanaiste says he would personally take the AstraZeneca vaccine if offered and has no hesitation in recommending it:
"As a healthcare professional as well as a politician, I’d have no hesitation in recommending the AstraZeneca vaccine to people over 60.
"All vaccines are medicines, and all medicines have side effects. Some are common and mild, some are rare and serious. This side effect does appear to be rare.
"The balance of risk is much more in favour of accepting the vaccine than refusing it."
