A critical window was missed by not vaccinating all nursing home residents immediately after the vaccine became available an Oireachtas committee has heard.
Nursing Homes Ireland has told the health committee just 10 per cent of the first 77,000 vaccinations were given to nursing home residents and staff.
That is despite them being top of the priority list, just ahead of healthcare workers.
According to figures from the HSE, as of January 13th, 7,925 doses of the vaccine had been administered in long-term care facilities, compared to 69,378 doses given to healthcare workers.
The HSE's Clinical Lead for Older Persons Dr Siobhan Kennelly told the committee there are still problems in the system.
"The issues have been highlighted through the nursing home expert report in terms of the risks that are posed by congregated settings for very frail, older, and vulnerable groups.
"Those issues unfortunately have not gone away and I think we are going to have to look very fundamentally at what the model of care looks like in terms of the provision for these particularly vulnerable groups and how they can be cared for in the future."
The committee also heard staff shortages continue to be a major issue for the nursing home sector, with more than 1,800 staff currently unavailable according to The Irish Times.
The chief executive of Nursing Homes Ireland, Tadhg Daly told the committee the situation in nursing homes is "very precarious", adding: "The entire health service is under immense strain".
"Staffing is the predominant emergency that presents across our health service," Mr Daly said.
