Tánaiste says there could be generalized immunity to Covid-19 in Ireland by next September

TANÁISTE LEO VARADKAR is reasonably confident that a Covid-19 vaccine will start rolling out in Ireland next month with the widest possible population immunity by next September.

Varadkar spoke at a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party tonight, where he said the National Advisory Committee on Immunization will decide on the future deployment and will make a decision in the coming weeks.

Varadkar said the vaccines are safe and effective and could have a “real and significant impact for the country” next year before wider population immunity is achieved in September or October.

At the meeting it was heard that the Government currently has purchase orders for five or six vaccines. Varadkar said a communication campaign would be “vital” to overcome doubts about vaccines.

The Tánaiste also said at tonight’s meeting that compensation had previously been awarded to pharmaceutical companies during swine flu and said the safety profile of current vaccines the EU is considering appears positive.

However, it is not clear for how long a vaccine will be effective and there were a number of “unknowns” surrounding possible vaccines.

Meanwhile, Micheál Martin tells his PP that some sectors that closed at L5, such as retail, will not close again. He says the priority for vaccines is the elderly, healthcare workers and nursing homes.

– Christina Finn (@ christinafinn8) December 2, 2020

It comes after nine trucks of ultra-low temperature Covid-19 vaccines arrived in the country to help with the deployment of a Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine.

The vaccine must be kept at -70 degrees and specialized freezers are needed to store the vaccine.

Speaking at the Oireachtas Health Committee this afternoon, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said his “unequivocal opinion” is that the state should cover all costs associated with a vaccine, but that a government decision has yet to be made. on specific details.

“We can’t have any situation where there is an issue of access being an issue because of affordability,” Donnelly said.

Speaking during the Leaders’ Questions earlier today, the Taoiseach said that the work of the government’s vaccine task force is “progressing well.”

Planning is being done on how to implement the vaccine, with the infrastructure for the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine “already coming into play,” Micheál Martin said.

Martin said the HSE will be a key factor in implementing the plan, while the Department of Health and the Minister of Health will oversee operations.

The European Medicines Agency will evaluate the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine “at the latest” before December 29, “maybe sooner,” the Taoiseach said.

He said the agency’s responsibility is “enormous,” and he told Dail that his job is to recommend that a vaccine be safe and effective.