Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
942. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if priority will be given to parents of children and adults with intellectual disabilities in terms of the vaccine roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21479/21]
View answerThe 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 my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.
On the 23rd of February, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy. In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death. The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.
On the 30th of March, the Government approved a further update to the COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Strategy. Based on clinical, scientific and ethical frameworks produced by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and my Department, following the vaccination of those most at risk, future groups will be vaccinated by age, in cohorts of 10 years (i.e., 64-55; 54-45, etc.).
The move to an age-based model better supports the programme objectives by:
- protecting those at highest risk of severe disease first, which benefits everyone most;
- facilitating planning and execution of the programme across the entire country;
- improving transparency and fairness.
Further details are available here:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/93f8f-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-irelands-vaccination-prioritisation-list/
Vaccination of Group 4 began in March and vaccine registration for Groups 5 and 6 began on the 15th of April.
In relation to family carers, it is important to emphasise that:
(a) carers who are healthcare workers are at a very high or high risk of exposure to the virus. In the first wave of the pandemic, over 30% cases were in healthcare workers. Whereas, family carers operate in a completely different and more controlled environment and do not have the same risk of exposure to the virus;
(b) family carers can minimise their contacts, employ physical distancing, hand washing, respiratory and cough etiquette and, hence, minimise their risk of infection and, thereby, the risk of transmitting infection to a vulnerable person;
(c) there is emerging evidence that is encouraging regarding the ability of COVID-19 vaccines to impact viral transmission. However, there is insufficient evidence at the current time to justify a change from the current strategy of prioritising those at increased risk of severe disease and/or death as a consequence of COVID-19, to one aimed at reducing transmission.
