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The “vast majority” of those over the age of 85 will have received their first Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday, according to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
By the end of this week, Donnelly predicted that 500,000 vaccines would have been administered out of a total of 520,000 received.
He said there may be a number of people over the age of 85 who are not vaccinated at the end of the week if they are not well enough to travel to their GP’s clinic or a vaccination center.
However, he said measures will be put in place to address this.
Donnelly said health workers are “exhausted” and added that the good news is that “the pressure has eased” on hospitals.
He also said that Covid-19 infections in Irish Hospital Staff they have dropped about 95 percent.
Donnelly told the Oireachtas Health Committee on Tuesday that the drop was due in large part to vaccines, as well as falling levels of community transmission.
Citing figures from clinical director Dr. Colm Henry, the minister described the news as “very encouraging.”
He said: “The good news is that the pressure has eased. Today we have seen that the number of Covid cases in hospitals has dropped below 500, which is very, very welcome.
“The Clinical Director, the figures you have given are very encouraging in terms of the impact that the vaccine is having. Now it is not only the vaccine, it will also be less community transmission.
“But from memory, the clinical director was citing figures that suggested a 95% reduction in Covid infection rates for hospital staff, which is very encouraging.”
Donnelly also revealed that the National Immunization Advisory Committee (Niac) is conducting an ongoing review of the priority list.
He suggested that the review could move key workers, such as teachers and caregivers, up the list.
He said: “What you are looking at now is the following group, which is a very large group, which are key workers.
“Thus, for example, family caregivers. A lot of people have been advocating for family caregivers. “
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He added: “So one of the things Niac is looking at now is key workers, including, for example, the role they play, for example, in supporting health care or the vaccination program itself.
“Or indeed, other essential activities, such as education and, indeed, care.”
Additional PA reports
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