Today officially marks the start of the Covid vaccine rollout in the Republic of Ireland.
A 79-year-old woman from The Liberties is set to be the first to receive the Covid vaccine in the Republic.
Annie is a grandmother of ten and will be administered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at St James’s Hospital later today.
The rollout of the vaccine officially begins today and will be administered in four hospitals around the country: Beaumont and St James’s hospitals in Dublin, Cork University Hospital, and University Hospital Galway.
Chair of the Covid Vaccine Task Force Professor Brian MacCraith told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that other people who will receive the vaccine today include “ICU nurse, a junior doctor, a Covid ward nurse and an allied health professional”.
He also said it’s “very possible we will complete all vaccinations of nursing homes by February”.
When asked when everyone else in the country hoping to be vaccinated will receive it, he said, “It’ll be down to the manufacturing success of the companies, the delivery schedules… But certainly if all things come to pass, one would be looking at that [August]”.
MacCraith also explained how they hope to be receiving just over 40,000 vaccine doses per week for the weeks throughout January and February.
10,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine arrived in Ireland on Saturday.
On St Stephen’s Day, CEO of Health Service Executive Paul Reid tweeted a video of the first batch of vaccination doses arriving in Ireland, writing, “It’s arrived! Taking delivery of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine into our Cold Chain Storage this morning. We can now have a “twin-track” approach to our response to #COVID19. Public health measures along with the vaccine, for a brighter future”.
Its arrived! Taking delivery of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine into our Cold Chain Storage this morning. We can now have a "twin track" approach to our response to #COVID19. Public health measures along with the vaccine, for a brighter future. @HSELive pic.twitter.com/hNzESqi0Wp
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) December 26, 2020
Simon Harris added, “An important day. A milestone in this painful #Covid19 story. But it is crucial that we keep each other safe & well as this vaccine programme gets underway. It needs time. Our collective effort now: keep each other alive & well to get the vaccine. Help is on the way.”
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