LATEST: Vaccine approved for children aged 5 to 11 as almost 5,000 more Covid cases confirmed

A further 4,764 people have contracted the coronavirus, the Department of Health confirmed this evening.

There are now 598 patients being treated in hospital for the virus, a drop of 13 on yesterday’s figures. Of these, 126 are being treated in ICU, down six on yesterday.

The latest figures were confirmed as EU’s drug regulator approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11, paving the way for them to be given a first shot as Europe battles surging infections.

The vaccine has already been already cleared for use in people aged 12 in the EU.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar today told the Dáil that he expects the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) will approve vaccines for children in Ireland in this age group “in the coming days”.