Covid-19: Arlene Foster gets AstraZeneca vaccine
- Published
GP Dr John Porteous gave Arlene Foster her Covid-19 vaccine in Lisnaskea on Saturday
Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster has said she is "delighted" to have received her first Covid-19 vaccine in County Fermanagh.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader was given the AstraZeneca jab at Castle Park Leisure Centre, Lisnaskea.
"There is a really positive community spirit here and across all of our centres in a collective effort to combat Covid-19," she said.
A total of 711,673 people in Northern Ireland have had a Covid-19 vaccine.
More than 110,000 people in Northern Ireland have received their second dose.
Mrs Foster said she was pleased to "now be one of those important statistics".
She became eligible to receive a vaccine when the vaccination programme opened to the 50-and-over age group this month.
"I am grateful to all of the wonderful team of medics and volunteers who are making this happen in GP practices and centres across Northern Ireland every day of the week," she said.
"The programme is having real results.
"We are seeing falling levels of infection in our over-60s and I'm heartened to see the number of active outbreaks in our care homes reduce well into single figures."
"The more of us that get the vaccine, the quicker we will find our way out of this," she added.
The programme is due to expand on Monday with the opening of the SSE Arena in Belfast as a vaccination centre.
"I would encourage everyone who is eligible to step up and get booked in, to help protect themselves and their community," said Mrs Foster.
Two more Covid-19-related deaths were recorded in Northern Ireland by the Department of Health on Saturday, meaning the total number of deaths is 2,109.
- Published27 March 2021
- Published18 March 2021
