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LAST UPDATE | 15 Dec 2020
THE PLANS FOR Ireland’s Covid-19 vaccines roll-out have been published this afternoon, with details about logistics and who will carry out the inoculations included.
The vaccines will be administered in three phases – the initial roll-out, a mass ramp-up and open access. Once there are a large number of doses available, the mass ramp-up stage can begin.
The highest priority groups – those over the age of 65 in long-term care facilities; and frontline healthcare workers in direct patient contact – will receive vaccinations first. The prioritisation strategy for who gets the vaccine in what order was outlined by government last week.
Announcing the plans, Minister for Health Donnelly said: “Today is a really positive day for all of us. After a very difficult year, we are hopeful that Covid-19 vaccines will be approved for us in Ireland in a matter of weeks.
The scale of the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be bigger and more complex than previous vaccination programmes. It will play a central role in our exit from the pandemic. Over time it will allow us to return to re-open our society and to reconnect in the ways we once took for granted.
The minister also said that the first vaccinations could be given to people in Ireland before the end of year, pending the approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine by European authorities.
The vaccines will be administrated from long-term care facilities, hospitals, mass vaccination clinics, GP surgeries and community pharmacies.
This will include the creation of vaccine hubs that will account for a large portion of the vaccinations.
The strategy also seeks to call on the skills of retired doctors and healthcare professionals to help with the vaccination effort.
However, the majority of the work will fall to healthcare workers, such as GPs, nurses and pharmacists who are set to be asked to administer the vaccines programme.
Examples of vaccine administration locations will include acute hospitals such as Tallaght Hospital, St James’s and Beaumont (all Dublin), as well as Mayo General Hospital, Cavan General Hospital, Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Galway.
Vaccines will also be administered in community nursing units around the country.
Examples of the sites for mass vaccination centres are Citywest and the National Exhibition Centre in Cloghran. The option of using university campuses as mass vaccination centres has also been mooted.
Under what’s called the “vaccination pathway”, the plan outlines how members of nominated groups will be invited to register and consent for vaccination.
They’ll then be offered a scheduled appointment at a named centre.
The plan says: “The goal is for a standard registration process where all key identification data, demographic data, any required medical information and the informed consent is commenced.”
When a person arrives for their appointment, their pre-registered details will be confirmed.
They’ll then receive their jab, and then be discharged after a 15-minute period.
A person will be reminded of the date they must return for their second dose, and the process will repeat again.
The plan says: “While the clinical setting will vary the goal is to provide a consistent process with a common data and technology platform. This will ensure a consistent process, accurate data capture and timely reporting.”
There’ll also be a portal on the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) website to report any suspected side effects experienced after receiving the vaccine.
Each stage of this journey will be enabled and assisted by an ICT system, the plan adds. This ICT system will enable the planning and scheduling of vaccinations, while also help to monitor and evaluate the success and effectiveness of the programme.
The plan adds: “A functionally rich and proven solution for the proposed vaccination programme must be sourced, purchased, implemented and integrated into the HSE ICT infrastructure before the end of the year.”
HSE CEO Paul Reid said today that the vendor selection process for an IT system has been agreed between IBM and Salesforce. He also said the HSE was liasing with the Data Protection Commission on the IT system that will be used.
NPHET will also monitor uptake of the vaccine, while the plan also stresses the importance of a clear communications plan to answer any questions the public may have about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
It also includes details of when the different vaccines may be available.
January 2021 is the earliest possible date for the Moderna and Astrazeneca vaccine to become available. The following month is the earliest the Curevac vaccine may be available. That’s followed by another vaccine in development from Sanofi/GSK in July 2021.
However, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said today the rollout of the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine could begin before the new year if approved by European Authorities next week.
Altogether, Ireland has agreed deals to access over 14 million doses of the various vaccines in development.
The strategy was developed by the High-Level Task Force on Covid-19 Vaccination which is chaired by former DCU president Professor Brian MacCraith.
Donnelly joined MacCraith as well as chief medical officer Dr. Tony Holohan at a briefing this afternoon to outline the strategy.
Cabinet signed off on the strategy following a meeting this morning.
Brian MacCraith said that he has had discussions with a number of third-level institutions about using their campuses to develop mass vaccination centres, and that the HSE were “working on that” idea.
“I’ve spoken with the presidents of NUI Galway, Waterford IT, University of Limerick, and UCC in the past number of days, and all have expressed great support for the concept of actually being able to assist in the development of mass vaccination centres.”
Dr Holohan, however, added that it’s important not to drop our guard now as Covid-19 will remain with us for months to come.
HPRA CEO Dr Lorraine Nolan said that the European Medicines Agency has been reviewing the data from the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on an ongoing basis.
She added that the scientific experts involved in the vaccine approval are focused on completing the “detailed and rigorous review” in the shortest timeframe possible.
With reporting from Rónán Duffy, Christina Finn
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Cant dentists do it as well? I know it would take about 8 trips but…?!
@Clubhouse Barman.: or maybe even vets
@Clubhouse Barman.: 8 trips and you’d end up paying for another 4 vaccines that you never asked for
@Furze: you could buy it from the boot of a car from a lad at the mart
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THEM TO F…IT UP??
@Pauline Fedigan: I’m sure you’ll find a fault with something very soon. People like you akways do.
@David Clements: In a way, she already has.
@Pauline Fedigan: As long as it will take you to find the CAPS LOCK button again?
@Pauline Fedigan: they probably won’t use caplocks on though. Yawn.
@Pauline Fedigan: stop yelling
Nothing in Sligo Leitrim or Longford.
@Malachy: do you want it to be done on a one per county basis or on the basis of the distribution of, y’know, people?
@David Clements: Thinking of transport David. Not many options here
@Malachy: Says who?
@Malachy: I know. The economy hasn’t been kind to them.
@Phil Redmond: joint committee on rural and community development transport policy July 2019
@Malachy: that’s exactly what I’m thinking about too
@Malachy: there is an IT and university in sligo
@Malachy: or Wexford
@Malachy: Never was.
@Malachy: Nothing in Leitrim alright but didn’t Sligo get that new Centre Parks? Oh you mean…..
It’s great news but if they let ‘New Year’ celebrations take place a lot more people won’t be around to benefit from it.
NPHET are going to monitor it!!!!
@Ron: Yes, I agree, the public health emergency team IS the best body to monitor it. Good call. Thought you might be one of those muppets who thinks the binmen are better qualified than doctors.
@Ron: what a disgrace! It should be the FAI!
Why can’t we approve it? Why have we to wait for the EU?
@James Lyons: That’s the way it works if your part of the EU the EMA has to approve it not sure why they are they taking so long when FDA has passed it already!
@James Lyons: Because we are in the EU
……..
@James Lyons: I’d rather the EU approve it.
Far more experts in the EU the just Ireland
@James Lyons: its people like you in the UK, that don’t seem to understand how the EU works, that voted for the likes of brexit.
@Ron: Ireland isn’t obliged to follow the EU and would be able to approve the use of the vaccine. That’s the way the UK used (disregarding what else maybe claimed)
They’ve had massive problems in the UK already. GPs cancelling whole days worth of other procedures to keep it free for vaccinations and no vaccines being delivered.
It’s gas how many people follow the “read headline-look at pictures-comment” model.
The admin locations are just that – admin locations. In the article it says that actual vaccinations will take place in various community locations.
Alarming that Acute Hospitals do not include Letterkenny University Hospital. Donegal has the highest rate of cases and transmission of Covid, outside Dublin. There are also 16 waiting on trolleys today, for beds. LUH has had a major outbreak of Covid. Donegal…the forgotten county again.
@Sally Kavourmas: Letterkenny Hospital is on the list in the diagram in the story.
@Kevin Lonergan: Thank you. I missed that.
The first four stories on here at the moment are about the vaccine. We get it. It’s important and news worthy. But 4 consecutive articles? Overkill.
@Emma Dobbyn: maybe because its sort of important? Check RTE or Breaking News. That should ease the stresses in your life.
@Paul Furey: I literally just said “it’s news worthy and important”.
I completely understand that it needs to be reported but imo 4 consecutive articles is too much.
Can they vaccinate his head for salmonella? #ovumnoggin
About time EU needs to get its act together
I am pretty sure I have seen an article asking pregnant women to ‘hold off to get vaccinated if you are expecting a baby’ – Article removed .. why ?
@Eric Vdc: google is your friend.
People advised to hold off on trying for a baby for a period of time after getting Covid-19 vaccination https://jrnl.ie/5300761
No point in putting it in a university in the south east cos we don’t have one and their asking wit to merge in a Mickey mouse collage in carlow.what a joke
Why is cavan not getting the vaccine?
@Sean O’dowd: is Cavan general hospital that’s on the list not in Cavan?
@Sean O’dowd: why are so many unable to read.
Nothing in the North East?, hopefully, probably, maybe
@Ronan Lawler: Cavan Hospital covers a good portion of the North East but there will be vaccine hubs in other places along with Dr Surgeries, Chemist’s etc.
All that’s missing is the actual vaccine!!!
The vaccine will be here but the IT system will be the challenge now it seems. Why can’t we just copy the Germans or the British or some place that has already got this organised. We’re not very good at that sort of thing… look how long it took to try and sort out the postcode system.
have your say