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Hospitals and nursing homes will be prioritized for the Covid-19 vaccine launch under plans to go to the government on Tuesday.
The main initial focus of a vaccination campaign against the virus will be health workers and residents of nursing homes, according to the “sequencing” plans prepared by the Executive of the Health Service.
Plans say experience gained from existing vaccination programs will be vital to ensuring the success of an immunization program for Covid-19, as well as effective communications to “win hearts and minds,” according to a source familiar with the document. .
With the first Covid-19 vaccine to be administered in Northern Ireland on Tuesday and plans for the launch of the vaccine in the Republic to be published later this week, there will be an intense focus on the details of the Government’s proposals.
The Health Department on Sunday acknowledged the level of speculation about which groups will be prioritized, but said no decisions have been made. This won’t happen until after the government’s vaccine implementation task force reports next Friday, a spokeswoman said.
With 301 new cases reported Sunday night, virus trends are on the rise again. The five-day moving average began rising again last Friday and now stands at 295. No new deaths were reported on Sunday.
Two million tests
In another pandemic milestone, the number of tests performed surpassed the two million mark over the weekend.
Pharmacists have called for the profession to be allowed to play a central role in the Covid-19 vaccination campaign.
The Irish Pharmacy Union said its members were available to support the national effort, but warned against a repeat of “mistakes” made in distributing the flu vaccine this fall.
IPU Secretary General Darragh O’Loughlin said that after months of restrictions, the government owes everyone to roll out the vaccine “as quickly and smoothly as possible.”
“A safe and effective vaccine could arrive in a few weeks, but it will still take time and meticulous planning to ensure that a full vaccination program is implemented.”
Relying solely on GPs to vaccinate the population could cause delays in diagnosing other diseases, he suggested.
Meanwhile, the government ruled out the creation of a new role of “minister of vaccines” with the specific duty of supervising the deployment.
Calls had been made from some political and health sectors for the creation of such a function, and the Taoiseach did not completely rule out the possibility when speaking at the Oireachtas.
However, Micheál Martin’s spokesman said Sunday that there was no plan for a specially appointed vaccine minister, noting that the vaccine working group chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith had been created to brief the Taoiseach.
Science Minister Simon Harris: There is “no place for pseudo science or scaremongering” in the vaccine. “We have to listen to our doctors. . . who have guided us through this pandemic. “Photograph: Gareth Chaney / Collins
Urging politicians to “get behind” public health experts, Science Minister Simon Harris said Sunday that “there was no room for pseudoscience or scaremongering” in the vaccine.
Referring to reports from some TDs who said they would not take the vaccine for different reasons, he told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics: “This has to end. . . We have to listen to our doctors, the same people who have guided us through this pandemic. “
Meanwhile, significant differences of opinion have emerged among public health officials on the approach to controlling the virus after Level 5 restrictions in the recently released minutes of the National Public Health Emergency Team.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan admitted that there was a “reasonable probability” of a third wave of the virus in January or later in the new year.
But he said “embarrassing the people who come home for Christmas” is not appropriate.
