ONE in seven people in Northern Ireland have now received their first Covid-19 vaccine.
First minister Arlene Foster confirmed yesterday that 263,735 people have received their first dose and 25,539 have had both jabs.
Mrs Foster added that it was not the time to "ease up" on the fight against Covid and the north had to "push on" with lockdown restrictions.
Speaking at the executive's weekly news conference yesterday, she said hospitals and intensive care units are still under significant pressure.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) has said the vaccine roll-out in care homes in Northern Ireland is almost complete.
Staff and residents at more than 453 homes have received both doses.
The PHA said all care homes have been offered the first dose of the vaccine and 90 per cent have been offered the second.
Deirdre Webb from the agency was tasked by the Department of Health to assist with implementation of the vaccination programme in care homes over the past eight weeks.
She said: "Everyone involved was committed to getting our older care home population and staff vaccinated as quickly as possible, as the care home sector has been so greatly affected by Covid-19.
"Staff were highly motivated from all sides to make the roll-out work effectively among this vulnerable group.
"This work was done at great pace over the Christmas period and into the New Year, including during the surge in Covid-19 cases during this time, so it is a phenomenal achievement for all involved that we have been able to offer protection to quickly to some of our most vulnerable citizens."
Teresa McClean, manager of Corriewood Care Home in Castlewellan, said they were "delighted to be one of the first to be chosen to take part in the roll-out of the vaccination programme".
"We realise that it is a moment in history and our staff and residents were so happy that they got the vaccine," she said.
"The families are absolutely overjoyed that their relatives are going to be kept safe."
Moyna Clarke, a resident in New Croft Care Home in Holywood, said she was "one of the first in the queue for the vaccine as I knew it would give me protection".
"I look forward to the future and the day that we would be rid of this awful virus," she said.
Meanwhile, another 10 people have died in Northern Ireland after contracting coronavirus.
The Department of Health said four of the deaths had occurred in the latest 24 hour period, while another six happened previously.
The department's death toll now stands at 1,899.
Figures also show that another 412 people tested positive for Covid-19. A total of 68 patients with the virus were in hospital intensive care units and 63 were being ventilated.
There are outbreaks of the virus at 99 care homes across the north.
Meanwhile, a further 75 people have died with coronavirus in the Republic.
The National Public Health Emergency Team said that 46 of the 75 deaths occurred this month, 27 in January and two deaths were earlier.
A total of 3,586 Covid-19-related deaths have been recorded in the Republic.
There are 1,284 patients being treated for the virus in hospitals, with 188 in intensive care.
Almost 220,000 Covid-19 vaccines have so far been administered, according to the Health Service Executive.
