"A ray of hope" is how Director of Nursing at Dungarvan Community Hospital Paula French described the arrival of HSE vaccination teams on site at the facility on Wednesday.
The hospital cares for 102 mostly long-term residents, and also provides a short stay unit, rehab unit and dementia care unit. Approximately 200 staff were also in line to receive their inoculations yesterday.
48 staff and residents of Dunabbey House, which forms part of the hospital complex, received their shots on Saturday, so in all more than 350 staff and residents have now received the first of their two injections.
Director of Nursing Paula French oversees both facilities, she said there was "a real buzz" around and it had given everyone "a real lift":
"It's been a very challenging year, it's been a very stressful year, especially for residents and their families not to mention staff, but we got through it through the cooperation and the willingness of staff...but today is a ray of hope for us all and we are absolutely thrilled."
Michael Cowman from Kilrossanty has been a resident of Dungarvan Community Hospital for the past three months, he was in good spirits when he spoke to WLR News, he said he was happy to be vaccinated, and happy to be at the hospital where everything was "A1" particularly the food!
Carmel Murphy from Tallow has been a resident for over a year, she said she missed trips back home to Tallow to visit her cousins. She said she had found the past year "lonely" and missed the outings.
Both residents were looking forward to a time when the many activities on offer at the facility could resume, such as the trips on the tri-shaw to the Greenway.
Paula says the facilities have remained covid-free throughout the year, she puts it down to extremely hard work:
"We've had a very busy year, we've done exceptional work within the community hospital and Dunabbey to mantain covid free status to date..it's a great sense of achievement following the months of hard work. I'd like to acknowledge and thank our residents first and foremost they've been wonderful under the circumstances, it hasn't been easy for them...we've done our best to keep our residents in good spirits and to look after them as well as possible."
Paula also acknowledged the support from families and the wider community in Dungarvan also.
She said it had been particularly difficult caring for people at end of life given the restrictions around visiting, but said they "did what we could within the boundaries of safety".
Among residents of Dungarvan Community Hospital, Co. #Waterford to receive their #CovidVaccine today from the HSE/SECH team were Michael Cowman of Kilrossanty + Bridget Murphy of Tallow (both of whom spoke to @wlrfm) & Bridget Power of Dungarvan (an aunt of its DoN Paula French) pic.twitter.com/ArmAqBmkuS
— HSE/South East Community Healthcare (@SouthEastCH) January 20, 2021
HSE vaccination teams have been visiting nursing homes and residential care centres throughout county Waterford in the past couple of weeks to administer the Covid Vaccine to residents and staff.
So far around 10 facilities have been completed including Havenwood, Killure Bridge, St Carthages, the Holy Ghost residential home, Maypark, Padre Pio rest home in Cappoquin, Madonna House in Ferrybank and Waterford residential care home, among others.
The aim is to have all facilities inoculated by this Sunday January 24th.
Listen to what Paula and residents Michael and Carmel had to say here:
