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Enough Covid-19 vaccine may arrive here to deliver about 2,500 people in the first shipment that emerged today.
rof Brian MacCraith, who leads the task force that developed the vaccination plan, said that enough for two doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, to be administered three weeks apart, could arrive here after the expected approval of the jab from the European Medicines Agency. next week.
However, he said this has not been confirmed.
The Oireachtas Health Committee heard today that there is still uncertainty about the level of vaccine that will be available initially, although the hope is that hundreds of thousands of doses will go live in the first half of 2021.
It has not yet been confirmed when the first batches will arrive.
It may be the end of the year before one can be offered to everyone who wants a vaccine.
Dr. Karina Butler, who chairs the immunization advisory committee, said it could be the wrong time of year to “go down” to nursing homes with the vaccine.
People 65 and older in long-term care and front-line health care workers are first in line to get the vaccine.
He said “we have to recognize” the time of year and it is important to see what is practical to do with the first limited batch of vaccines.
“It may not be reasonable to suddenly land in a nursing home in the intervening period between Christmas and New Years.
“It is necessary to give people time to obtain the information and give their informed consent.
“It may be reasonable to vaccinate a small group that is at higher risk, be it the vaccinators themselves or people in critical care areas or emergency rooms.
“I think it is a practical approach to use the vaccine as soon as it is available and without delaying anyone.
“All of this has to be quick but not rushed. We are gaining experience from deployment in other areas. “
The main questions still hang over various aspects of the plan, including the location of 15 mass vaccination centers outside of Dublin, although there are some proposals to use sports stadiums and some university facilities.
Deputy Medical Director Dr. Ronan Glynn told the committee that the vaccine will not be mandatory.
The number of personnel needed to administer the vaccine is still unknown and much will depend on the volume of vaccines available.
However, HSE Clinical Director Dr. Colm Henry confirmed that existing staff will have to be dispatched from other areas to administer the vaccine, which will be given priority.
Asked about the implications for other services, he said it will not be done “without some pain.”
When asked about getting the vaccine for pregnant women, she said that for now the precautionary guideline is not to take advantage of the vaccine.
Better guidance will be provided around several areas, including women who intend to become pregnant or mothers who breastfeed, European Medicines Agency after approval.
When asked about vaccine certificates that could end up being required to enter places and travel by air, Professor MacCraith said that people will get a vaccination record.
A national injury repair plan needs to be established to provide support and care in the event that a person receiving the vaccine develops a severe reaction to the vaccine, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
But reports from regulatory bodies indicate that there are no major safety concerns about vaccines so far.
It may also be that vaccines are less effective when implemented in the real world compared to the level of evidence.
The plan for a vaccine certificate is being debated at the European level and, for now, only vaccines are known to prevent disease from the virus and not block infection.
Previously, he said the challenges facing the vaccine launch are unmatched.
This is due to the scale and complexity of the deployment and the desire for speed.
Online editors
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