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Specialized freezers for storing Covid-19 vaccines have started arriving in Ireland, Health Service Executive Director Paul Reid revealed.
He posted a photo on Twitter and explained: “We are preparing for the launch of the # COVID19 vaccine in Ireland.
“At the HSE National Cold Chain Center, we have received and are currently commissioning and validating a shipment of 9 ultra-low temperature freezers for storage of vaccines at -75 degrees.”
It follows a press conference yesterday during which Mr. Reid said that Ireland has the capacity to procure 16 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Although the vaccine will not be lacking, “he said, they will reach different stages, which” will require a sequencing or prioritization process that is currently being finalized. “
Mr. Reid said that the high-level working group on vaccines is “on its way” to deliver a strategy to the Taoiseach and the Government by December 11.
Great to see! https://t.co/OQ25hixN2c
– Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) December 4, 2020
He said it was “realistic for Ireland to start its vaccination program in the first days of January 2021.” The working group held its second full meeting last Monday.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said last night that Ireland was “in line” with the rest of the EU27 when it comes to the launch of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time, he said that when the European Medicines Agency approves the vaccine, there should be a launch in early January.
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“This is good news and a good week for Ireland in our fight against Covid,” said Minister Donnelly. He added that we have the lowest rate of Covid-19 cases in the EU.
Yesterday, Sinn Féin Health spokesperson David Cullinane published his party’s document on planning the deployment of the Covid-19 vaccine. He said it must be “free, fair and transparent.”
“The infrastructure for the storage, distribution and administration of the vaccine should be ready by the end of the year to ensure that we can manage the initial stock of the vaccine quickly,” he said.
Paul Reid says that Ireland as a whole will have the capacity to procure almost 16 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. He added that “although there will be no shortage of the vaccine,” they will arrive in a long period of time | https://t.co/cxqof20NLh pic.twitter.com/fE0iWxHayV
– RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 3, 2020
“With the cooperation of community and voluntary organizations, emerging vaccination centers should be implemented, particularly in rural, remote and underserved areas.”
Labor leader Alan Kelly told the Dáil that “political responsibility is needed” in launching the vaccine. “We need to know who is ultimately in charge of addressing the many outstanding issues with the plan.”
He asked if companies would be allowed to buy their own supplies of the vaccine.
“The issue is public versus private and it should be based on need, and not on whether someone will be able to afford it,” Kelly said.
Britain this week became the first Western country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for general use, giving the green light to the Pfizer / BioNTech drug. Store your supplies in secret places.
The European Medicines Agency later criticized the UK’s swift approval of the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, saying its own procedure was more comprehensive.
Anthony Fauci, a leading American infectious disease scientist, said yesterday that Britain was quick to approve, but later apologized.
“I am very confident in what the UK is doing both scientifically and from a regulatory point of view,” Fauci told the BBC.
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