Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 February 2021
737. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, on the vaccination of family carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8247/21]
View answer784. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if he will request the National Immunisation Advisory Committee to consider if carers of very vulnerable persons can be treated as the same cohort given these carers provide full-time care (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8381/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 737 and 784 together.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and the Department of Health, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.
Vaccine allocation is a matter for the Department of Health and further information is available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/39038-provisional-vaccine-allocation-groups/.
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is the responsibility of the HSE.
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.
The next group to be vaccinated are those aged 70 and older in the following order: 85 and older, 80-84, 75-79, and 70-74. Vaccination of this group will start in the week beginning the 15th of February.
All of the groups will be covered as further vaccine supplies become available and the immunisation programme is rolled out nationally.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee continues to review all national and international data in order to inform the vaccine allocation process.
Family carers are a diverse group, therefore, each individual will be vaccinated in the group that is appropriate to them.
