Louise O'Reilly
Question:180. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of Covid-19 vaccinations that have been delivered to date; and when there will be full vaccination coverage. [1934/21]
View answerThursday, 14 January 2021
Questions (180)
Written answers
Ireland is taking part in a Procurement Exercise being operated by the European Commission (EC) on behalf of Member States to procure suitable, safe and effective vaccines, in sufficient quantities, to combat COVID-19.
To date, two vaccines have been granted conditional marketing authorisation by the EC following recommendation by the European Medicines Agency. The HSE took its first delivery of the vaccine Comirnaty, developed by BioNTech and Pfizer in late December and this week received the first delivery of COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna.
The Government is committed to the timely implementation of a COVID-19 immunisation programme.
The National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, which was prepared by the High-Level Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccination, was signed off by Cabinet on 15 December 2020.
The vaccines will be rolled out in three phases - the initial roll out, a mass ramp-up and open access. The highest priority groups, those over the age of 65 living in long-term care facilities and frontline healthcare workers in direct patient contact, will receive the vaccine first.
The aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to ensure, over time, that vaccine will become available to vaccinate all of those for whom the vaccine is indicated. Given that there will be initially limited vaccines available, it will take some time for all to receive those vaccines and that has necessitated an allocation strategy to ensure that those most at risk of death and serious illness receive the vaccine first.
The priority is to first vaccinate and protect directly the most vulnerable amongst us, that is, those most likely to have a poor outcome if they contract the virus. The priority is to directly use vaccines to save lives and reduce serious illness, hence the focus on the over 65 year old cohort in long term residential care facilities, and healthcare workers in frontline services often caring for the most vulnerable.
All of the groups will be covered as further vaccine supplies become available and the immunisation programme is rolled out nationally. This is wholly dependent on supply lines and on candidate vaccines obtaining approval. Therefore, it is not possible at this time to determine a timeframe for the full vaccination programme.
The evidence will be kept under review and the allocation groups may be updated, where necessary, in light of new evidence.
Further information on the Allocation Strategy can be found at:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.