A Covid-19 vaccine will be available in Northern Ireland from early next week.
The Pfizer-BioNTech jab, which is 95% effective, has been approved for use by UK authorities.
It's the first country in the world to approve the vaccine for widespread roll-out.
The British government has ordered 40 million doses with healthcare staff and nursing home residents expected to be the first to get it.
Northern Ireland's Health Minister has warned people not to let their guard down now a vaccine has been approved in the UK.
Robin Swann has tweeted to say there will still be difficult days to come, but the future is brighter.
This is a hugely significantly day. My Department has the plans and preparations in place. There will still be difficult days ahead, and people must not let their guard down, but there are brighter days ahead.
— Robin Swann MLA : #StopCovidNI (@RobinSwannMoH) December 2, 2020
However, a vaccine in the Republic of Ireland isn't expected to be approved until the end of the this month, or even the beginning of January.
Public Expenditure Minister, Michael McGrath said we are still a few weeks away from the rollout of this vaccine.
We’re awaiting approval from the European Medicines Agency which isn’t making a decision until late December/early January.
