
First posted Tuesday 9 March 2021 and updated daily since. Final figures recorded on Tuesday 20 April, the day of my first vaccination.
I am now eligible for a vaccination against COVID-19. Hooray! According to the Irish government’s official list I’m in Cohort 3, everyone over 70. This cohort is further divided into four sub-groups: ages 85+, ages 80-84, ages 75-79 and ages 70-74. So when will my invitation to get a vaccination arrive? [Answer: I got my first vaccination, administered by my GP, on Tuesday 20 April!]

Searching online for the number of people in each cohort, I came across the table shown above, produced by junior minister Ossian Smyth TD in January and published on the website of that well-known journal of record the Irish Sun. This indicates that there are approximately 700,000 in the first three cohorts. Since that date, I haven’t been able to find any other published source which gives me any more detailed breakdown, such as how many people are in each cohort, which is why I am still relying on this.
The government publishes a daily list of vaccination statistics. There’s even an online calculator for you to play with. On the day I originally published this post, Tuesday 9 March, this informed me that I should expect to receive a first dose between 19 March and 11 April. However, I took this with a very large pinch of salt, since this RTE report on Thursday 4 March had already told me that there were 450,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a jab.
A little more information about how many vaccines are getting to each of the individual Cohort 3 sub-groups appeared in this report from the Irish Times on Monday 8 March. Paul Cullen wrote that, so far: “92,000 vaccines [had been] administered by GPs, most of them to over-85s and about 10,000 to people in the 80 to 84 year age-group.” This would appear to tie in with the official figure for Friday 5 March, which was 92,122.
A more recent article in the Irish Times on 26 March by Jack Power gave a few more updates. This stated: “The Health Service Executive (HSE) said it is still on track to administer the first dose to all those aged 70 and older by mid-April, and the second doses by mid-May. General practitioners have been moving through their lists of older patients at different rates, with some already vaccinating those in their 70s. In a bulletin sent to GPs on Wednesday, the HSE said it planned to deliver more than 89,000 doses to 540 practices next week, and supplies would increase in ‘early April’.”
This being Ireland, I have to wait until my GP contacts me to arrange an appointment. An easier and quicker system would be if the Irish Health Service Executive had a simple self-booking website, such as the one set up by the UK NHS. There, on 9 March, the age criterion was down to 55. No wonder that the previous day’s figures showed that the NHS has now done more than 22 million first vaccinations.
The HSE doesn’t maintain an archive of the number of vaccinations done each day. If you want to see these figures go to the excellent Shane Hastings site.
However, even Shane can’t supply the figures for the daily increase in vaccinations for each cohort, so I made my own bar chart. I am updating this each day for the rest of March (or until I get my own vaccination). Please note that the official vaccination figures are released two days after the current date, so for, example, the latest on the day I originally published this post, Tuesday 9 March, were for Sunday 7 March.

Every Tuesday, when the Sunday figures arrive, I also publish the weekly total for Cohort 3.
Week 1: Monday 1–Sunday 7 March. Total 46,243, an average of 6,606 vaccinations per day. Working from the figure of 450,000 given to RTE on 4 March mentioned above, by my reckoning on 7 March there were about 404,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. At the daily rate on 7 March, it would therefore take 61 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Week 2: Monday 8–Sunday 14 March. Total 41,487, an average of 5,927 vaccinations per day, almost all first doses. By my reckoning, on 14 March there were about 363,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. Because the average number of vaccinations per day has decreased, at the daily rate on 14 March it would still take 61 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Week 3: Monday 15–Sunday 21 March. Total 55,405, an average of 7,915 vaccinations per day. This is a significant and welcome improvement on recent weeks in the overall number of vaccinations. However, of this total, 14,212 were second doses, so during the week only 41,193 more people in Cohort 3 received a first vaccination, an average of 5,884 per day. By my reckoning, on 21 March there were about 322,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. At the daily rate on 21 March it would therefore take 55 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Week 4: Monday 22–Sunday 28 March. Total 82,322, an average of 11,760 vaccinations per day. Another welcome improvement in the overall number of vaccinations. However, of this total, 36,439 were second doses, so during the week only 45,883 more people in Cohort 3 received a first vaccination, an average of 6,554 per day. By my reckoning, on 28 March there were therefore about 276,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. At the daily rate on 28 March it would therefore take 42 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Week 5: Monday 29 March–Sunday 4 April. Total 89,687, an average of 12,812 vaccinations per day. Another welcome improvement in the overall number of vaccinations, and touted as such in the national press as part of the record 130,000+ overall figure. However, of this total in Cohort 3, 44,225 were second doses, so during the week only 45,462 more people in Cohort 3 received a first vaccination, an average of 6,495 per day. By my reckoning, on 4 April there were therefore about 230,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. At the daily rate on 4 April it would therefore take 35 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Week 6: Monday 5–Sunday 11 April. Total 90,717, an average of 12,960 vaccinations per day. A slight increase in the overall number of vaccinations. However, of this total in Cohort 3, 39,706 were second doses, so during the week 51,011 more people in Cohort 3 received a first vaccination, an average of 7,287 per day. By my reckoning, on 11 April there were therefore about 179,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. At the daily rate on 11 April it would therefore take 25 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Week 7: Monday 12–Sunday 18 April. Total 114,934, an average of 16,419 vaccinations per day. A very welcome large increase in the overall number of vaccinations. However, of this total in Cohort 3, 36,757 were second doses, so during the week 78,177 more people in Cohort 3 received a first vaccination, an average of 11,168 per day. By my reckoning, on 11 April there were therefore about 101,000 in Cohort 3 still to receive a first dose. At the daily rate on 11 April it would therefore take 9 more days from then to complete the cohort’s first doses.
Tuesday 20 April
Total: 1,240,965 (+ 21,478 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 878,823
Second Dose: 362,142
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 589,106 (+ 12,926 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 409,070 (+ 6,700 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 180,036 (+ 6,226 in last 24 hours)
Monday 19 April
Total: 1,219,487 (+ 11,028 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 863,958
Second Dose: 355,529
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 576,180 (+ 6,656 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 402,370 (+ 4,415 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 173,810 (+ 2,241 in last 24 hours)
Sunday 18 April
Total: 1,208,459 (+ 4,189 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 855,512
Second Dose: 352,947
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 569,524 (+ 3,292 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 397,955 (+ 2,294 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 171,569 (+ 998 in last 24 hours)
Saturday 17 April
Total: 1,204,063 (+ 15,709 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 852,189
Second Dose: 351,874
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 566,232 (+ 11,508 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 395,661 (+ 9,599 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 170,571 (+ 1,909 in last 24 hours)
Friday 16 April
Total: 1,188,354 (+ 32,755 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 838,644
Second Dose: 349,710
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 554,724 (+ 26,282 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 386,062 (+ 17,933 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 168,662 (+ 8,349 in last 24 hours)
Thursday 15 April
Total: 1,155,599 (+ 34,596 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 814,470
Second Dose: 341,129
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 528,442 (+ 27,641 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 368,129 (+ 18,417 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 160,313 (+ 9,224 in last 24 hours)
Wednesday 14 April
Total: 1,121,003 (+ 26,039 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 789,526
Second Dose: 331,477
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 500,801 (+ 21,922 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 349,712 (+ 16,082 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 151,089 (+ 5,840 in last 24 hours)
Tuesday 13 April
Total: 1,094,964 (+ 18,748 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 769,721
Second Dose: 325,243
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 478,879 (+ 16,664 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 333,630 (+ 9,224 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 145,249 (+ 7,440 in last 24 hours)
Monday 12 April
Total: 1,076,216 (+ 12,550 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 758,763
Second Dose: 317,453
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 462,215 (+ 7,625 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 324,406 (+ 4,628 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 137,809 (+ 2,997 in last 24 hours)
Sunday 11 April
Total: 1,063,666 (+ 5,272 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 749,450
Second Dose: 314,216
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 454,590 (+ 3,225 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 319,778 (+ 2,123 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 134,812 (+ 1,102 in last 24 hours)
Saturday 10 April
Total: 1,058,394 (+ 12,475 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 745,363
Second Dose: 313,031
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 451,365 (+ 9,214 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 317,655 (+ 6,145 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 133,710 (+ 3,069 in last 24 hours)
Friday 9 April
Total: 1,045,919 (+ 27,655 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 735,997
Second Dose: 309,922
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 442,151 (+ 20,513 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 311,510 (+ 12,667 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 130,641 (+ 7,846 in last 24 hours)
Thursday 8 April
Total: 1,018,264 (+ 29,017 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 716,636
Second Dose: 301,628
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 421,638 (+ 40,988 in last 48 hours)
First Dose: 298,843 (+ 22,260 in last 48 hours)
Second Dose: 122,795 (+ 18,728 in last 48 hours)
Wednesday 7 April
Total: 989,247 (+ 27,360 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 697,368
Second Dose: 291,879
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: n/a
First Dose: n/a
Second Dose: n/a
Tuesday 6 April
Total: 961,887 (+ 21,004 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 679,844
Second Dose: 282,043
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 380,650 (+ 13,740 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 276,583 (+ 5,743 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 104,067 (+ 7,997 in last 24 hours)
Monday 5 April
Total: 940,883 (+ 4,796 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 667,182
Second Dose: 273,701
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 366,910 (+ 3,037 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 270,840 (+ 2,073 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 96,070 (+ 964 in last 24 hours)
Sunday 4 April
Total: 936,087 (+ 3,763 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 663,411
Second Dose: 272,676
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 363,873 (+ 2,514 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 268,767 (+ 1,453 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 95,106 (+ 1,061 in last 24 hours)
Saturday 3 April
Total: 932,324 (+ 8,446 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 660,800
Second Dose: 271,524
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 361,359 (+ 6,530 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 267,314 (+ 3,816 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 94,045 (+ 2,714 in last 24 hours)
Friday 2 April
Total: 923,878 (+ 30,503 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 655,292
Second Dose: 268,586
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 354,829 (+ 24,110 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 263,498 (+ 12,354 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 91,331 (+ 11,756 in last 24 hours)
Thursday 1 April
Total: 893,375 (+ 27,915 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 636,963
Second Dose: 256,412
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 330,719 (+ 19,155 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 251,144 (+ 9,956 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 79,575 (+ 9,199 in last 24 hours)
Wednesday 31 March
Total: 865,460 (+ 24,899 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 000,000
Second Dose: 000,000
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 311,564 (+ 16,810 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 241,188 (+ 7,686 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 70,376 (+ 9,124 in last 24 hours)
Tuesday 30 March
Total: 840,561 (+ 20,885 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 603,802
Second Dose: 236,759
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 294,754 (+ 13,645 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 233,502 (+ 6,295 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 61,252 (+ 7,350 in last 24 hours)
Monday 29 March
Total: 819,676 (+ 13,135 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 590,688
Second Dose: 228,988
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 281,109 (+ 6,914 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 227,207 (+ 3,893 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 53,902 (+ 3,021 in last 24 hours)
Sunday 28 March
Total: 806,541 (+ 4,039 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 580,857
Second Dose: 225,684
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 274,195 (+ 1,909 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 223,314 (+ 1,259 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 50,881 (+ 650 in last 24 hours)
Saturday 27 March
Total: 802,502 (+ 15,933 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 577,641
Second Dose: 224,861
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 272,286 (+ 12,106 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 222,055 (+ 7,037 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 50,231 (+ 5,069 in last 24 hours)
Friday 26 March
Total: 786,569 (+ 26,401 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 567,023
Second Dose: 219,546
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 260,180 (+ 17,871 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 215,018 (+ 10,393 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 45,162 (+ 7,478 in last 24 hours)
Thursday 25 March
Total: 760,168 (+ 27,490 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 548,945
Second Dose: 211,223
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 242,309 (+ 18,044 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 204,625 (+ 10,312 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 37,684 (+ 7,732 in last 24 hours)
Wednesday 24 March
Total: 732,678 (+ 23,330 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 529,984
Second Dose: 202,694
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 224,265 (+ 17,354 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 194,313 (+ 9,233 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 29,952 (+ 8,121 in last 24 hours)
Tuesday 23 March
Total: 709,348 (+ 18,899 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 515,800
Second Dose: 193,548
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 206,911 (+ 11,055 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 185,080 (+ 5,162 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 21,831 (+ 5,893 in last 24 hours)
Monday 22 March
Total: 690,449 (+ 10,434 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 503,796
Second Dose: 186,653
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 195,856 (+ 3,983 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 179,918 (+ 2,487 in last 24 hours)
Second Dose: 15,938 (+ 1,496 in last 24 hours)
Sunday 21 March
Total: 680,015 (+ 4,069 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 495,824
Second Dose: 184,191
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 191,873 (+ 1,238 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 177,431
Second Dose: 14,442
Saturday 20 March
Total: 675,946 (+ 7,417 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 492,106
Second Dose: 183,140
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 190,635 (+ 6,042 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 176,343
Second Dose: 14,292
Friday 19 March
Total: 668,529 (+ 14,278 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 487,466
Second Dose: 181,063
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 184,593 (+ 12,473 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 172,728
Second Dose: 11,865
Thursday 18 March
Total: 654,251 (+ 14,665 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 478,725
Second Dose: 175,526
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 172,120 (+ 13,258 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 164,444
Second Dose: 7,676
Wednesday 17 March
Total: 639,586 (+ 7,227 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 468,328
Second Dose: 171,258
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 158,862 (+ 6,732 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 154,465
Second Dose: 4,397
Tuesday 16 March
Total: 632,359 (+ 11,779 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 463,500
Second Dose: 168,859
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 152,130 (+ 9,824 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 149,931
Second Dose: 2,199
Monday 15 March
Total: 620,580 (+ 3,530 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 455,182
Second Dose: 165,398
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 142,306 (+ 2,626 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 142,076
Second Dose: 230
Sunday 14 March
Total: 617,050 (+ 1,116 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 452,554
Second Dose: 164,496
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 139,680 (+ 653 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 139,634
Second Dose: 46
Saturday 13 March
Total: 615,934 (+ 9,030 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 451,589
Second Dose: 164,345
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 139,027 (+ 3,956 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 138,982
Second Dose: 45
Friday 12 March
Total: 606,904 (+ 17,392 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 443,092
Second Dose: 163,812
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 135,109 (+ 8,748 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 135,071
Second Dose: 38
Thursday 11 March
Total: 589,512 (+ 19,121 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 426,819
Second Dose: 162,693
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 126,361 (+ 8,546 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 126,327
Second Dose: 34
Wednesday 10 March
Total: 570,391 (+ 17,230 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 409,662
Second Dose: 160,729
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 117,815 (+ 8,883 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 117,782
Second Dose: 33
Tuesday 9 March
Total: 553,161 (+ 16,544 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 396,089
Second Dose: 157,072
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 108,932 (+ 8,319 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 108,901
Second Dose: 31
Monday 8 March
Total: 536,617 (+ 10,849 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 382,528
Second Dose: 154,089
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 100,613 (+ 2,382 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 100,603
Second Dose: 10
Sunday 7 March
Total: 525,768 (+ 2,699 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 375,521
Second Dose: 150,247
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 98,231 (+ 550 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 98,222
Second Dose: 9
Saturday 6 March
Total: 523,069 (+ 9,747 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 373,149
Second Dose: 149,920
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 97,681 (+ 5,559 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 97,672
Second Dose: 9
Friday 5 March
Total: 513,322 (+ 19,449 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 363,601
Second Dose: 149,721
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 92,122 (+ 10,035 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 92,113
Second Dose: 9
Thursday 4 March
Total: 493,873 (+ 19,228 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 346,256
Second Dose: 147,617
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 82,093 (+ 10,106 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 82,087
Second Dose: 6
Wednesday 3 March
Total: 474,645 (+ 14,008 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 328,598
Second Dose: 146,047
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 71,927 (+ 8,898 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 71,922
Second Dose: 5
Tuesday 2 March
Total: 460,637 (+ 14,163 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 316,056
Second Dose: 144,581
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 63,029 (+ 8,338 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 63,024
Second Dose: 5
Monday 1 March
Total: 446,474 (+ 6,692 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 303,550
Second Dose: 142,924
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 54,691 (+ 2,757 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 54,687
Second Dose: 4
Sunday 28 February
Total: 439,782 (+ 3,887 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 297,899
Second Dose: 141,883
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 51,934 (+ 1,230 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 51,930
Second Dose: 4
Saturday 27 February
Total: 435,895 (+ 9,825 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 294,550
Second Dose: 141,345
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 50,704 (+ 4,930 in last 24 hours)
First Dose: 50,700
Second Dose: 4
Friday 26 February
Overall Total
Total: 426,070
First Dose: 285,780
Second Dose: 140,290
Cohort 3 Total (People aged 70 and older)
Total: 45,744
First Dose: 45,741
Second Dose: 3
Source: Ireland’s COVID19 Data Hub