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Earlier today, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that the government had officially approved the Covid-19 vaccine strategy for Ireland.
Donnelly said the vaccine could be launched before the end of the year if the EMA (European Medicines Agency) approves it on December 21.
The Health Minister said the new “flexible” vaccine launch plan could start during Christmas week after it emerged this afternoon that EU approval is accelerating.
This means that countries will be able to start rolling out the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine if it is approved, as expected, starting next Monday, December 21, and Donnelly has said that Ireland will be ready to act quickly.
We know that many of you will have questions about the vaccine and how implementation will work, so we have broken down the government’s strategy for you.
When will the vaccination start?
The EMA is expected to make a decision on the approval of the vaccine on December 21, which means that implementation could begin before the end of the year.
Once approved, it will take a few days for the vaccine to arrive in Ireland from the Pfizer / BioNTech production sites.
Vaccines will be delivered in all three phases, with only a small amount delivered at the initial launch before a massive surge means more will be available.
The third stage will see open access to the vaccine across the country and the introduction of vaccination centers.
When can I get the vaccine?
Those in the highest priority groups will be the first to take the hit, meaning those 65 and older living in long-term care facilities and front-line healthcare workers will be at the top of the list.
People over the age of 85 will follow, then those from 80 to 84 before moving on to those from 75 to 79 and then those from 70 to 74.
The next batch of vaccines will be administered to key workers, those in the 65-69 age group, other healthcare workers not in direct contact with patients, followed by 18-64 year olds who have medical conditions pre-existing or living in crowded accommodation.
Those who are dedicated to education will follow, followed by people between 55 and 64 years old, then those between 18 and 54 years old who have not yet received the vaccine and finally children.
Where can I get the jab?
Five types of Vaccine Delivery Locations (VAL) have been confirmed with locations depending on the ongoing deployment stage.
For example, the first VALs are long-term residential care facilities, as this is the first group of people on the priority list to be vaccinated.
There will also be large-scale health care sites and mass vaccination centers that will be located throughout the country as the jab becomes more available.
Finally, as the general public begins to take advantage of the vaccine, they will be able to visit their GP or pharmacy to receive the vaccine.
How much will it cost?
Last week, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that the vaccine program will be available free of charge to everyone in Ireland.
How do I get the vaccine?
In accordance with the government’s vaccination program strategy, members of each group on the priority list will be asked to consent and register for vaccination.
You will then be offered to schedule an appointment which, once you attend, you will be asked to record your details along with the batch information and vaccination date / time.
Once you have been vaccinated, you will have to stay for 15 minutes, in case you have an immediate adverse reaction.
Once everything is clear, you can leave and then you will receive a reminder to return for your second dose of the vaccine three weeks later.
If you suspect any side effects in the meantime, you can register them on the Health Products Regulatory Authority website.
How safe is it?
The Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine has already been approved for use in the UK with the US emergency use authorization from the FDA also announced this week.
The EMA is the regulatory body in Europe that oversees the approval of vaccines for Ireland and they are expected to grant their use here.
If there are any concerns regarding the vaccine, it simply will not be approved for use by the EMA in Ireland.
Some people have shared some concerns regarding the speed with which the vaccine was developed, however the WHO has said that no corners were cut in the process.
The world has never seen global investment or scientific endeavors like this before, which means the timeframe for developing the vaccine has been shorter than usual.
However, this does not mean that the vaccine is not safe, it means that more researchers and teams were working collectively than on any other scientific project.
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