All the staff at the National Maternity Hospital have now been vaccinated, according to professor Shane Higgins from the Maternity hospital.
He said “All staff who came forward to receive the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at The National Maternity Hospital have now received it.
Midwife, Emily Flynn from Cashel, Co Tipperary was the first of 1,108 staff to be vaccinated against Covid-19 at the hospital.
Speaking about being the first person to receive the vaccine, Emily Flynn said: “I feel so privileged to be the first person to receive the vaccine here.
“This is the moment we have all been waiting for since the pandemic started last Spring. I am so grateful to everyone around the world who has contributed to the making and distribution of this life-saving vaccine.”
The vaccination programme began at noon on Thursday, January 7th and within 48 hours, all staff who had come forward to receive the vaccine had been vaccinated.
Vaccination clinic
Speaking about the vaccine programme , Mr Higgins said: “We received news on the afternoon of the 5th, that the hospital would receive vaccines on the 7th. We immediately mobilised a multidisciplinary team who were tasked with establishing of a safe and efficient vaccination clinic.”
“As soon as the vaccinations were received on the morning of the 7th, the hospital’s vaccination plan was put into action.
“Emotions were high as the first six staff representing a number of departments received the vaccine.”
He said that 429 staff members were vaccinated that day, with 480 vaccinated on the 8th and the final 199 staff vaccinated by the afternoon of the 9th.
He added “I would like to thank each member of staff for their professionalism, dedication and unwavering support over the past few days. Never before have we had to roll–out a programme of this magnitude in such a short period of time. It gives me great pride to say that the staff of The National Maternity Hospital rose to the challenge."
