HSE confirms more than 15,000 people have so far received Covid-19 vaccine
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The HSE has said more than 15,000 people have been given the Covid-19 vaccine here so far and denied any perceived delays in the roll-out are linked to staffing issues.
In the first of what will be weekly updates, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said 15,314 first doses have already been given across nursing homes and hospitals. The target for week’s end is 35,000.
Based on the current vaccine supply, the HSE expects to vaccinate 135,000 people from these sectors by the end of February.
It hopes this will increase when other vaccines are available including the Moderna vaccine which was approved this week by the European Medicines Agency.
Chief Operations officer Anne O’ Connor said there are now 2,000 people trained to deliver the vaccine nationally.
This comprises 1,500 people who usually deliver the flu vaccine, 200 from the school vaccine team and an additional 300 volunteers now trained in this particular regime.
She agreed with Mr Reid that any perceived delays in the vaccine roll-out are not linked to staffing issues, at this point.
Ireland is staying with plans to give two doses over 21 days to each person, as studied in the PfizerBioNTech trials and as is being done in EU countries.
Currently, Pfizer has not released data to support plans by the UK to give the vaccine up to 84 days apart.
Infectious diseases consultant Dr Cliona Ui Cheallaigh said she was vaccinated on New Years Eve.
“I felt like crying, to think I may be protected in a few weeks is really remarkable and I am less worried about bringing it home,” she said.
But on a more sombre note, she said the serious levels of Covid-19 they see now at St James Hospital is similar to the first wave in March and April.
HSE Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry said: “We are seeing positivity rates now from community testing of over 40%, and the message is if you think you have Covid you probably do. “
Dr Henry said the public can change these figures, but he warned that unless there is a swift change there could be as many as 2,500 people in hospital with Covid-19 by mid-January.
“There is early evidence emerging that the new variant has played a role in the increasing number of cases,” he said.
"In relation to keeping some sectors of education open, he said this is about balancing the risks from Covid-19 with the risks from missing out on education and socialisation.