Covid-19 vaccine rollout in North Tipp
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Staunch Portroe GAA fan Joe Moloney (Nenagh resident) receives the Covid-19 vaccine from Dr Muiris O’Keeffe last Friday. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 2 of 7
Liz Kinane is a Practice Nurse at Dr Brenda Murnane’s surgery at Wilton Medical Centre, Nenagh. Nurse Kinane holds the Covid-19 vaccine pack, which is seperately presented for each person receiving the vaccine. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 3 of 7
Former Tipperary hurler John ‘Mackey’ McKenna is vaccinated against Covid-19 by Dr Pat Harrold at Wilton Medical Centre in Nenagh on Friday last. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 4 of 7
Michael Finn (Nenagh) gets his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine from Dr Pat Harrold. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 5 of 7
Dr Muiris O’Keeffe (right) gave Covid-19 vaccines to many of his patients, which included (from left) Kathleen Riordan, Bridget Lawlor, Vera O’Hanlon and Breda Gleeson. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 6 of 7
Paul Healy takes his mother Nora Healy to Wilton Medical Centre for the Covid-19 vaccine. BRIDGET DELANEYImage 7 of 7
Tom and Celia Hickey are delighted to have received the Covid-19 vaccine at the surgery of Dr Muiris O’Keeffe in Nenagh on Friday March 5th. Photographs: Bridget Delaney BRIDGET DELANEYNenagh GPs were busy administering the long-awaited Covid-19 vaccines to local people last Friday week.
Doctors Pat Harrold, Brenda Murnane and Muiris O'Keeffe were among the local GPs involved in the first round of vaccination.
The HSE is engaged in creating an expanded vaccination infrastructure, managing a suite of vaccine products with different handling and delivery requirements. Vaccines are currently being administered in healthcare settings, to frontline healthcare workers, and to people aged 70 and over by their GPs across 1,300 practices.
In a statement, the HSE said that at the moment, vaccine administration is limited only by the supply of approved vaccines and that is dependent on the manufacturers meeting their supply commitments. The HSE is engaged in creating an expanded vaccination infrastructure, managing a suite of vaccine products with different handling and delivery requirements.
Using CSO Census population data, the HSE has located 37 vaccination centres nationwide - including one at Nenagh's Abbey Court Hotel - ranging in capacity from 10 to 50 vaccination booths, which will be used to vaccinate the wider population. Criteria for selection included ease of access, transport links and parking. They are being rolled out now, with some being used to support the GP-led element of the vaccine roll-out.
These centres will come on stream as needed, with a dedicated workforce, from late March/early April. All centres will be ready in advance of the need to match vaccine supply which, based on current information, is forecast to reach a peak in Quarter 2.
The HSE has developed a vaccine rollout programme that is flexible and agile to respond to what is an evolving situation internationally. It is an iterative process and we must be in a position to adapt and change as the rollout continues.