Dear Colleagues,
As you are aware from my previous correspondences on this issue, we meet with the HSE on a weekly basis regarding the Covid Vaccination program and discuss issues regarding its rollout. It would be an understatement to say that the process has had a rough start but we have been assured that improvements are imminent.
Unfortunately, although we did report last week that it was hoped that all frontline staff would be completed by the end of February, it would now appear that completion of all frontline staff will not happen until the first week of March. This is due to the numbers of available vaccines.
The information below was also shared by Mr David Walsh, Workstream Lead
Vaccination Process & Workforce.
“Following on from our meeting on Wednesday and subsequent conversation I would like to update the group as follows;
The projected supplies of Astra Zenica vaccine will be applied to the Cohort of Priority Frontline Healthcare Workers with effect from next week. This greatly improves the position in relation to the numbers of vaccine available for 1st doses next week and I am projecting a figure of approaching 20,000 between Monday and Friday. This delivery is due over the weekend.
The figures for the following week will be increased again based on projected Astra Zenica deliveries and will increase further in the last week of the month.
The vast bulk of Cohort 2 will have received their dose 1 vaccines by the end of this month.
I still await clarity on the dose interval and will update you accordingly.”
It is hoped that the Portal system, that will provide the facility to register and make appointments for vaccination, will be online shortly and we await further details on this next week.
We will continue to update you on this issue as relevant information becomes available.
Thank you for your time.
Yours Sincerely,
Michael Hayes,
Deputy General Secretary,
Psychiatric Nurses Association.
