Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 December 2020

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

Questions (285, 293, 294, 300, 303, 304, 306, 309, 338, 353)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

285. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43646/20]

Emer Higgins

Question:

293. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the task force on Covid-19 vaccination to include persons with Down's syndrome in the group of persons aged 18 to 64 with certain medical conditions in the provisional vaccine allocation groups document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43671/20]

Matt Shanahan

Question:

294. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that research has concluded that persons with Down's syndrome are five times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19 and ten times more likely to die as a result of Covid-19 than the average citizen; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the provisional vaccine allocation groups document does not include persons with Down's syndrome in the group of people aged 18 to 64 with certain medical conditions; the priority being afforded to persons with Down's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43699/20]

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

300. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the age groups that will receive the Covid-19 vaccine; the reason certain groups will not be prioritised, including immunocompromised adults and children under 18 years of age, all children under 12 years of age, persons with Down's syndrome and carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43727/20]

Thomas Gould

Question:

303. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the stage in the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out at which those in active addiction will be vaccinated given previous assertions that these groups and those in recovery are at high risk of Covid-19. [43748/20]

Robert Troy

Question:

304. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider making persons with intellectual disabilities and-or Down's syndrome a higher priority for the Covid-19 vaccination in view of the fact that persons with Down's syndrome, like others at increased risk of severe disease due to Covid-19, have spent most of 2020 in isolation. [43751/20]

Marian Harkin

Question:

306. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if he will revise the provisional vaccine allocation groups document to include persons with Down's syndrome in the group of people aged 18 to 64 with certain medical conditions, given that research highlights the increased risk of hospitalisation, severe disease and death among adults with Down's syndrome who contract Covid-19; the reason the decision was taken to initially exclude persons with Down's syndrome from this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43760/20]

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

309. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if persons with Down's syndrome will be included in the people aged 18 to 64 years with medical conditions Covid-19 vaccine allocation group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43772/20]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

338. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if persons with Down's syndrome are included in the grouping of persons in the 18 to 64 age category with underlying health conditions in respect of the provisional vaccine allocation groups document; if not, the category they are in (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43970/20]

Gary Gannon

Question:

353. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if persons with Down's syndrome will be included in the Covid-19 vaccine allocation strategy; if so, the group within which they fall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44071/20]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 285, 293, 294, 300, 303, 304, 306, 309, 338 and 353 together.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional priority list of groups for vaccination once a safe and effective vaccine(s) has received authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and Department of Health, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.

The Allocation Framework was developed to consider how to prioritise different groups. It is based on (1) ethical principles and (2) epidemiological considerations, and takes account of the current and evolving understanding of distinctive characteristics of COVID-19 disease, its modes of transmission, the groups and individuals most susceptible to infection and the characteristics of the candidate vaccines. The primary aim of the allocation strategy is focus on the prevention of sickness and mortality, and to preserve the health of people, by prioritising those at highest risk.

The Strategy is a further component to the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will evolve and adapt with more detailed information on the vaccines and their effectiveness. Sequencing within and/or between cohorts, in line with the Vaccination Allocation Strategy, may be necessary due to the epidemiological situation at any given time, as well as the characteristics of the available vaccine(s), and as new data emerges, including the logistical challenges their distribution poses.

Further information on the Strategy can be found at:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/