Hospitals and nursing homes will be prioritised for rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine under plans to go to Government on Tuesday.
The primary initial focus of a vaccination campaign against the virus will be healthcare workers and nursing home residents, according to the “sequencing” plans drawn up by the health service.
The plans say experience gained from existing vaccination programmes will be vital in ensuring the success of an immunisation programme for Covid-19, as will effective communications to “win hearts and minds”, a source familiar with the document told The Irish Times.
With the first Covid-19 vaccine due to be administered in the North on Tuesday and the plans for vaccine rollout in the Republic due to be published later this week, there will be intense focus on the detail of the proposals.
The Department of Health on Sunday acknowledged the level of speculation around which groups will be prioritised but said no decisions had been made. This will not happen until after the Government’s vaccine rollout taskforce reports next Friday, a spokeswoman said.
'Beginning of the end'
On Sunday Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said the vaccines will be “transformational” should they be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Ireland will receive about 1 per cent of the vaccines purchased through the EU’s scheme.
The Minister said that while it is good news, he warned of the risks of people letting “their guard down”.
“If we do we could end up in a really dangerous place, if we hear of good news coming over the horizon but lots of people get sick in the meantime, and we need to avoid that,” he told RTÉ.
“It is the beginning of the end but it is not the end.
“It is going to take a number of months to get to everybody in our country [vaccinated].
“We have to listen to our doctors. The same people who have steered us through this pandemic have done a very good job in keeping us safe and giving us good, honest advice.
“Those are the same people making the key decisions about who should get the vaccine first and how it should be rolled out.”
He added there are “reasons to be optimistic and hopeful” going into next year.
Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin said there was a light at the end of the tunnel but it was “vital” to have clarity around public health and political messaging.
“As always with new medicines, there will be people out there who have concerns and who have questions,” he added.
“The public health officials, who are people best placed to answer those, need to be supported by Government in clarity of message so everyone understands when this vaccine is available and the reason why certain people get it first.” – Additional reporting: PA
