Consultant Matthew Sadlier of the Irish Medical Organisation has called for greater transparency about who has had the Covid-19 vaccine and how many frontline workers have yet to be vaccinated.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Dr Sadlier said the issue was about trying to protect patients, vaccinating frontline workers would mean that hospitals could stay open.
At present there were 6,000 frontline workers off work because of Covid issues and it was not acceptable that there was not a plan for frontline workers to be vaccinated as soon as possible, he said.
With 2,000 Covid patients in hospitals at present, every ward was a Covid ward, he said. The concept that some wards were not Covid wards was not accurate as everyone was at risk.
Definitive list
There should be a “definitive list” for every hospital for vaccinations for frontline staff, he said. Dr Sadlier said he had some sympathy for the HSE because it was obvious there was a shortfall.
Protecting staff was important as it meant protecting patients so there needed to be transparency about where the vaccine would be going now. “Who is left to be vaccinated and how they are going to manage it going forward.”
When asked about the vaccination programme in the UK where the date for the second vaccine has been postponed for up to 12 weeks, Dr Sadlier said he thought it would be “a very high risk thing to do.”
On the issue of PPE, he said high grade masks needed to be guaranteed and available to all staff - not after risk assessment as was the situation at present. “All staff are at high risk.”
