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Around 1,800 front-line medical workers are receiving a Covid-19 vaccine as part of a targeted vaccination program this weekend.
GPs and practice nurses are receiving their first dose of Moderna vaccine. It is the first time it has been used in Ireland.
Vaccination centers have been established in Dublin, Laois and Galway counties.
About 800 doctors and nurses from across Leinster are being vaccinated at a facility at St Mary’s Hospital in Phoenix Park in Dublin.
The facility is being operated by the National Ambulance Service.
Another 500 will receive the vaccine in Portlaoise, while another 500 medical workers will be vaccinated in Galway.
“Everything is going great so far,” HSE chief Paul Reid said on RTÉ Saturday with Katie Hannon.
“There are ten bays at each site, vaccinating between 40 and 60 people per hour.”
He said that, heading into the first quarter of 2021, the main cohorts to receive the vaccine were staff and residents of nursing homes.
Reid said the next would be around 150,000 healthcare workers and then the 500,000 older people who don’t live in long-term care facilities.
The Modern vaccine that is administered today in the @Ambulance HQ. The vaccine is administered by HSE vaccinating pairs. Vaccination of GPs is ongoing at mass vaccination clinics across the country, in Dublin, Galway and Portlaoise. #Vaccine for COVID-19 #Firm hold pic.twitter.com/rpXqBNZ9f1
– HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 16, 2021
HSE Clinical Director Dr. Colm Henry has paid tribute to the “special spirit of food” at the launch of the vaccine.
Dr. Henry said they would apply that learning to the implementation center application in the coming months.
He said there was “considerable work” in rolling out the vaccine over the next several months.
Dr. Henry said they were happy that there were so many volunteers for the deployment center locations, especially in the private sector.
He said the vaccine was good news, but that it would take some time before a critical proportion of the population received protection through vaccination programs.
He pointed to a comment from the WHO, which said herd immunity would not be achieved in 2021.
Dr. Henry said that all nursing home residents and staff will receive their first dose by the end of next week.
Elsewhere, the number of people in the UK who have received a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is 3,559,179.
That marks an increase of 324,233 from yesterday’s figures.
Some 117,906 first doses have been administered in Northern Ireland, in addition to 3,090,058 in England, 126,375 in Wales and 224,840 in Scotland.
So far, 447,261 second doses have been administered in the UK, including 424,327 in England, 129 in Wales, 19,474 in Northern Ireland and 3,331 in Scotland.
The total number of injections given in the UK, including the first and second doses, is 4,006,440.
Gardaí issues more than 100 tickets in Co Wicklow
Gardaí has said it issued more than 100 fixed charge notices and returned more than 200 vehicles in Co Wicklow today as part of the enforcement of public health restrictions.
In a post on Twitter, An Garda Síochána said that while the vast majority comply, there still seem to be people who do not want to take his advice.
Gardaí, in the highlands of Wicklow, meets people traveling outside its 5 km and has changed many people. So far, fixed charge notices have been issued to 10 people.# COVID-19 it remains a major threat to our society. We all need to stay the course. #Stay at home pic.twitter.com/hI7R9dAHil
– Garda Information (@gardainfo) January 16, 2021
He said he has repeatedly asked people not to travel beyond 5 km from their homes or to illegally park in public services as it could hinder access to emergency services.
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