VACCINE ROLL-OUT: RACE IS ON
Record 8,248 Covid cases South African strain is here Donnelly vows to accelerate vaccination campaign in nursing homes
HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has vowed to accelerate the Covid vaccine roll-out as numbers with the virus reached a record high.
All nursing home residents will get a jab within the next 16 days and be fully vaccinated by the middle of February, he pledged.
There was also good news for the rest of the population, as another 3.3million doses of the Pfizer vaccine were secured, while the first doses of the Moderna version, around 4,500, will arrive next week.
However, the accelerated campaign comes amid greater urgency, as a record 8,248 cases were confirmed yesterday, along with 20 deaths, the most deaths since May.
And it has been confirmed that three cases of the South African variant of Covid – which is even more infectious than the British strain – have been found here.
There are fears that it may be resistant to vaccines, at a time when 26,000 Pfizer doses are being taken out of a ‘buffer’ held back from initial deliveries.
Vaccinators will also work longer hours, seven days a week
with National Ambulance Service staff being drafted in to help with vaccinations in nursing homes. Hospital vaccinators will be deployed to nursing homes to speed up the roll-out.
Europe’s medicines regulator has said it could reach a conclusion on the easy-to-handle AstraZeneca vaccine by the end of this month. Ireland has ordered more than 3million doses of the ‘game- changer’ vaccine, which can be stored at normal fridge temperature, solving a key logistical problem.
Minister Donnelly also announced last night that a deal has been struck with 16 private hospitals to help fight the surge in Covid-19 cases over the next 12 months,
He said of the roll-out: ‘We’ve decided to use some of our one-week buffer as our supply of vaccines has been constant and we’ve received solid reassurance from Pfizer that this will continue to be the case. Speed is of the essence and this is especially true for the most vulnerable people in our society.’
The Government had set a target of 40,000 vaccinations by Sunday of this week, with Mr Donnelly saying they are ‘on target’.
‘We’re now going to accelerate our plan for residents and staff in long-term residential care facilities – this means nursing homes as well as mental health and disability residential centres. We had planned to vaccinate all 75,000 residents and staff with the first dose of the vaccine by the end of January. We’re now accelerating this plan to finish earlier, meaning the first dose will be given to all residents and staff in the next two weeks,’ he said.
However, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said yesterday: ‘Three cases of a new variant of Covid-19 recently identified in South Africa have been confirmed in Ireland today by whole genome sequencing. All of the cases identified are directly associated with recent travel from South Africa.’ He instructed anyone who has travelled from South Africa recently to self-isolate for 14 days and identify themselves through a GP for testing ‘as soon as possible’.
Dr Cillian De Gascun, Medical Virologist and Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, said: ‘ There is currently not enough information available to determine whether this variant poses a possible risk related to vaccine match and effectiveness. The antigenic characterisation of this new variant is ongoing, and results are expected in the coming weeks.’
Senior HSE officials confirmed to the Irish Daily Mail last night that cumbersome paper records are ‘here to stay’ throughout the first phase of the vaccine roll-out.
This means that daily reporting of vaccine figures will not happen until after this process is complete.
The Mail revealed yesterday that vaccination staff have to record sensitive data, such as PPS numbers, on paper and later upload it to the IT system. This newspaper also revealed a series of problems with the IT system being used in the
‘Game-changer coming here soon’
vaccine roll-out including some staff being locked out of it and unable to access it. However, the HSE said this did not lead to delays.
The new accelerated plan will involve 65 vaccination teams mobilising across the country. They will be made up of hospital vaccinators, community vaccinators, school vaccinators and the National Ambulance Service. Vaccinations will take place seven days a week.
Nurses are the main vaccinators in hospitals. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation described the plan as ‘workable’ last night on the condition it didn’t impact on the vaccination of nurses.
Mr Donnelly also said last night that the deal with 16 private hospitals to provide additional surge capacity for the HSE will involve them giving up 30% of their capacity, with an option for further capacity on the basis of ‘mutual agreement’.
The European Commission has agreed a deal to double its order for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, meaning Ireland is in line to receive an additional 3.3million doses.
And after the first doses of the Moderna vaccine arrive here next week, we will get 10,000 every week.
The European Medicines Agency also approved the use of sixth doses of the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine. The vaccine comes in a vile that is expected to produce five doses. However, officials say a sixth, and in some cases a seventh, can be obtained using specialist syringes, meaning even more people could be inoculated than originally planned.
This led to non-priority patients being vaccinated in one hospital to avoid waste. A HSE spokeswoman said: ‘The seven doses were obtained and were given to people who fully understood what was happening, understood the situation and could give a good informed consent to get that seventh dose.’
Nursing Homes Ireland welcomed the news of the accelerated roll-out, ‘as another significant milestone in the fight back against Covid-19’. Around 30,000 people are resident in nursing homes nationwide.
Nursing Homes Ireland chief Tadhg Daly said: ‘Nursing home residents require and deserve prioritisation and the news will be welcomed by both residents and staff.’
▮ BORIS Johnson begged families in Britain to stay at home as the Covid death toll hit a grim new record as infections rose at an alarming rate – 1,325 Covid deaths were reported yesterday. That’s one a minute and more than the peak of 1,224 last April’s first wave.