THE Department of Health has rubbished "bogus" social media claims that the Covid-19 vaccine affects fertility, urging people to get the jab to "protect yourself and your health service".
It said that a further 11 deaths have been reported on Sunday, bringing the total number linked to the virus in Northern Ireland to 1,996.
One of the deaths took place "outside the reporting period".
A further 176 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours.
The department issued a `MYTHBUSTER' statement in reference to "bogus claims about vaccines circulating on social media" which it said came from "`anti vaxxers' spreading misinformation".
It insisted vaccines are "an essential weapon against disease" and those being used for Covid-19 have been "approved as safe and effective by independent experts".
"One of the unsubstantiated claims doing the rounds concerns Covid-19 vaccines and fertility. There is no evidence to support any concerns about fertility."
It said in addition to "governments and regulatory and expert advisory bodies", the Royal Colleges of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and of Midwives (RCM) both back the jabs,
Dr Edward Morris of the RCOG said the claims are "not supported by any data", with "no biologically plausible mechanism by which current vaccines would cause any impact on women's fertility".
Professor Lucy Chappell, a consultant obstetrician specialising in women with medical problems in pregnancy, said she sees "absolutely no basis for concerns about any of the Covid-19 vaccines that are licensed in the UK and fertility".
The department insisted: "The public health advice is very clear - get vaccinated against Covid-19 to protect yourself, protect your health service and help us all get to a better place".
According to the Republic's National Public Health Emergency Team, 261,073 doses of the vaccine have been administered, with 89,834 people having received their second dose
Last night it recorded 17 more Covid-19 related deaths - 15 of which happened in February and one in December - bring the total to 3,948.
The latest round of new confirmed cases was 788, with 71 per cent aged under 45.
The bulk of the cases (315) are in Dublin.
The Republic saw 34 more coronavirus patients hospitalised, with 899 now in hospital - 160 in ICU.
