Up to 5,000 Irish people could be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the new year, depending on authorisation from medicines regulators.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on Wednesday predicted a “low volume” of vaccinations could take place in December after the European Medicines Agency brought forward its final assessment of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine by more than a week.
If the agency authorises the vaccine at an exceptional meeting, now scheduled for next Monday, final approval from the European Commission, which is binding on Ireland and other member states, is expected to follow within days.
Ireland is due to receive several thousand doses of the vaccine initially as part of its 1.11 per cent share of supplies negotiated by the EU on behalf of member states.
According to The Irish Times, up to 5,000 Irish people could be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the new year, depending on authorisation from medicines regulators.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly yesterday predicted a “low volume” of vaccinations could take place this month after the European Medicines Agency brought forward its final assessment of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine by more than a week.
If the agency authorises the vaccine at an exceptional meeting, now scheduled for December 21st, final approval from the European Commission is expected to follow within days.
Roll-out plan
Whatever vaccines are approved will be rolled out in three phases, under the plans published by a Government-appointed taskforce yesterday.
Events spaces, conference centres, universities and GAA stadiums are to be used for the mass vaccinations, The Irish Examiner reports.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid said that Citywest Hotel campus, Dublin, the National Exhibition Centre in Swords, Co Dublin, and stadiums such as Croke Park and Páirc Ui Chaoimh were examples of places which could be used as mass vaccination centres when the vaccine roll-out ramps up.
Vaccines will be distributed in long-term care facilities, acute hospitals, mass vaccination centres, before moving to GP surgeries and community pharmacies.
Prof Brian McCraith, who chaired the Government's high-level vaccine taskforce, has held conversations with a number of universities about their involvement in the establishment of mass vaccination centres.
He said: “I’ve spoken with the presidents of NUI Galway, Waterford IT, University of Limerick, and UCC in the past number of days, and all have expressed great support for the concept of being able to assist in the development of mass vaccination centres.”
Mr Donnelly hailed the vaccination strategy as a “moment of hope and light”, which will play a central role in our exit from the pandemic.
