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The HSE has moved to clarify that the number of residents in long-term care who have not yet been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 is about 5,000 and not the 30,000 it suggested in a letter sent to a TD this week.
In response to a parliamentary question from the leader of Aontú and TD Peadar Tóibín requesting the date when residents of nursing homes were fully vaccinated, the HSE said that tens of thousands of doses were still pending.
The letter dated March 25 said that as of March 21, 107,168 of those 65 and older in long-term residential care had received a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 77,056 had received two doses.
The letter said that the launch of the vaccine in nursing homes would continue in the coming days.
It later emerged that the information in the letter written to Meath West TD was based on outdated information and included both residents in long-term care and staff.
The HSE said the actual number of residents who have not yet been fully vaccinated is about 5,000.
In total, around 97,000 residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine, while 81,365 have received two, leaving just under 16,000, consisting of residents and 11,000 employees.
An HSE spokesperson said another 3,000 residents were due to receive their second dose of vaccine next week.
In a statement late Friday, an HSE spokeswoman said vaccination of people in Cohort 1 began in early January and the first round of vaccinations was completed on January 24.
She said that people who were not able to receive the vaccine originally are being vaccinated through cleanup processes “either when other residents / staff in the same facility are receiving their dose 2 vaccinations, during additional visits to the (facility) or in vaccination centers administered by the HSE ”.
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