Calls for vaccine centres in Fermoy and Mitchelstown

Vaccination centres need to be placed in Mitchelstown or Fermoy instead of Mallow, according to a local councillor.

Cllr William O’Leary said that it was not practical to expect people to travel from Fermoy Municipal District areas around Mitchelstown and Fermoy, to Mallow, to receive the Covid-19 jab.

It is understood that vaccinations of over 85s began in Livinghealth,

Mitchelstown on Monday, but that the masse vaccination centres would not be in the immediate locality.

Speaking during Tuesday’s local council meeting, Cllr O'Leary called for urgent action to place innoculation sites in the immediate area.

“The list of vaccination centres are very welcome, but I am going to call a spade a spade, it is not suitable for people to travel to Mallow, it does not make sense.

“We need vaccination centres in this area, we need them up here, it is just not practical otherwise. It is easy for me to drive off and get vaccinated but not for the elderly.

“The news of these centres is very positive, but it is simply not easy for everyone to drive to the centres. We need to be vaccinated in our immediate area,” he said.

LOCAL ACCESS

Cllr Deirdre O’Brien seconded Cllr O’Leary’s motion and said that locations such as Mitchelstown Community Centre would make ‘an ideal centre’.

“There is plenty of access, and it has been used by the Blood Bank,” she said.

Cllr Frank O’Flynn also supported the motion and said he was delighted that vaccination centres would be up and running.

“I go to the Mart to give blood, it is a very suitable site. There is plenty of parking. We definitely need a centre in Fermoy, with many areas here that are 20 miles from Mallow. I would say send off a letter to see the possibility of a centre in Fermoy or Mitchelstown,” he added.

Both Cllrs McCarthy and Dawson supported the motion, with Cllr Dawson saying that there had been a number of representations made by people in Mitchelstown.

“Our movements were restricted, but now they are sending us as far as Mallow. These centres should be located in the local municipal district,” she said.

The Municipal District will write to the HSE to raise the possibility of having vaccination centres sited in the locality.

Cllr O’Leary had sent a letter to Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) to raise the issue. In his letter he explained the necessity for a centre to be placed in the immediate community.

“I have been contacted by many constituents in my area who would be grateful for some sort of mass vaccination centres to be established in the Fermoy/Mitchelstown areas. These are two towns at the centre of Munster in the North East of the county and would also incorporate parts of west Waterford.

“It was welcome to see news that there is to be a vaccination centre established at the Mallow GAA complex, however given population and the demographics of North Cork, I believe that due consideration needs to be given to establishing these mass vaccination centres in Fermoy and Mitchelstown.

“If I may suggest two facilities, Fermoy Youth Centre is often used by the HSE as a Blood Bank facility and has ample space and Mitchelstown Leisure Centre would be most capable of being used for this purpose

“The town is served well with regards GPs' pharmacies and could easily cater for the roll out of the vaccine,” he said.

The response from the CKCH officer was that the request would be considered in the future.