Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said all nursing home residents and staff should have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the month.
As the Irish Times reports, Mr Donnelly said the country is due to receive 40,000 vaccines a week from Pfizer in January and February and that vaccination numbers will be added to the existing data hub which shows daily Covid-19 figures.
The Minister said on Twitter on Saturday that the first vaccines administered this week marked “a hugely important milestone”.
“We started with healthcare workers in our hospitals and are now moving into nursing homes,” he said.
“By the end of January, we plan to have vaccinated residents and all those working in our 580 nursing homes (70,000) with the first dose.
“We have opted into a number of Advanced Purchase Agreements via EU. Right now, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use by EU regulator.”
The HSE has set a target of February 28th for all nursing home residents to have received both doses, although it has warned potential Covid-19 outbreaks in facilities may interrupt progress.
A brief update on our vaccination programme. The first vaccines were administered this week and marks a hugely important milestone. It has brought much-needed hope. We started with healthcare workers in our hospitals and are now moving into nursing homes. pic.twitter.com/ItHfgiDD0i
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) January 2, 2021
Increased supply
Mr Donnelly said every EU country is getting a pro rata share of the Pfizer vaccine based on population size. He said a decision on the Moderna vaccine is “imminent” and the AstraZeneca vaccine “looks promising”.
“As more vaccines become available and manufacturers scale up production, supply will increase. That will enable us to vaccinate more people,” he added.
The Minister for Health also said around 7.6 millions doses have been either ordered or pre-ordered from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and other manufacturers.
He advised the public to stay home, wear masks and keep their distance.
“We can suppress this virus again with everyone’s support. We will get through this difficult time. There are better days ahead,” he concluded.
