GOOD MORNING. Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

Vulnerable teenagers

1. In our main story today, Lauren Boland reports on families with vulnerable teenagers who have been left waiting for answers on access to a vaccine. 

The European Medicines Agency has approved the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds and rollout has began in other countries, but no decision has been made yet in Ireland on its use.

In a statement to The Journal, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) said that it would publish an evidence report in approximately the next week on its website.

Janssen jab announcement

2. Pharmacists were left surprised and unprepared yesterday following the announcement that those aged 18-34 would be offered the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine in 700 participating pharmacies from Monday.

The Journal spoke to 12 pharmacies, all of whom confirmed that the announcement yesterday morning had been the first time they had heard official confirmation they were to begin administering the Janssen vaccine to those under 34. 

All pharmacies had also spent most of their morning yesterday answering calls and speaking to customers about the vaccine and registration.

Covid figures

3. Sticking with Covid news, public health officials have confirmed a further 512 cases of the virus in Ireland. 

The Department of Health reported that 46 patients with Covid-19 were in hospital yesterday, including 14 people in intensive care units.

Pilot festival

4. A pilot music festival is due to take place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin today.

Some 3,500 people snapped up tickets for the concert within minutes when they went on sale last month.

Rapid antigen testing will be provided for attendees prior to entry to confirm they don’t have Covid-19.

Northern Ireland Protocol

5. Over to Brexit news, UK Cabinet ministers have turned up the rhetoric in a bid to push Brussels into concessions over the Northern Ireland Protocol by warning of possible disruption to peace in the region without changes.

In a joint article in the Irish Times, Brexit minister David Frost and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said this week’s extension of a grace period in the so-called sausage war was “welcome” but that the extension “addresses only a small part of the underlying problem”.

Ban on single-use plastics

6. An EU directive restricting certain single-use plastic products – such as the straws, cutlery and cotton buds – being placed on the Irish market will come into effect tomorrow. 

Under the directive, where alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from the market, such as cutlery, plates and straws. For other products, efforts will be made to limit their use through design and labelling, and clean-up obligations for those who manufacture them.

Hurricane Elsa

7. Internationally, Hurricane Elsa is racing towards Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where it threatens to unleash flooding and landslides before taking aim at Cuba and Florida.

The Category 1 storm was located about 635 kilometres east-southeast of Isla Beata, Dominican Republic and was moving west-northwest at 46km/h today.

It had maximum sustained winds of 130km/h, with the hurricane expected to become a tropical storm after hitting Cuba, according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami.

Wildfires in Canada

8. In Canada, more the 130 wildfires – fueled by lightning strikes – have been burning across the western half of the country following a record-breaking heatwave. 

The BBC reports the Canadian federal government has said it would send military aircraft to assist emergency services in British Columbia battling to control the fires.

Outdoor drinking legislation

9. And back in Ireland, a Bill to clarify the situation around outdoor drinking has been signed into law by the president. 

The legislation was approved this week to deal with on-street service by pubs and restaurants not being covered by alcohol licences.

It comes after a number of pubs in Galway were warned by gardaí last month that alcohol can not be served outside their premises.