The HSE has outlined its plans for the vaccination of healthcare workers in the coming weeks in a memo issued last week (Friday 5^th February) to staff and unions. The memo was accompanied by a guidance document for healthcare workers, designed to identify the most at-risk staff, and prioritising them for vaccination as supplies become available.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Chris Cully, who attends the HSE’s weekly vaccination rollout meetings, said the revised sequencing takes account of the projected vaccine supply. It also prioritises staff in terms of the type of work they do and the setting they work in.

Almost 237,000 vaccines have been administered to healthcare workers so far, of which 84,000 are second doses. This includes around 30,000 staff in long-term residential homes.

The number of vaccinations administered is expected to rise each week over the coming period.

Chris said: “While the HSE aims to vaccinate all staff as quickly as possible, the current supply of vaccines is insufficient. Supplies, however, are expected to increase in the coming months as manufacturers increase production.

“The sequencing advice applies to healthcare workers who haven’t yet received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and who are included in the Provisional Vaccine Allocation Groups 2 and 4, as outlined in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme: Implementation Plan, as well as those working in the HSE or HSE-funded organisations, private hospitals and clinics, and community based not-for-profit and private healthcare providers not directly funded by the HSE,” she said.

Chris said healthcare workers identified in the sequencing guidance document are advised to register on the HSE’s online portal which went live on Tuesday (9^th February). The portal will be used to facilitate the scheduling of vaccination appointments.

The guidance document advises that “sequencing should not be based on where people work (community or acute hospital), who they work for (public sector, voluntary or private sector), and category of worker or grade.” Chris explained: “The revised sequencing of the vaccine is based on the both the type of work and the setting in which healthcare staff are working, in addition to maintaining a safe level of health and social care services.”

Following their registration on the vaccination portal, healthcare workers will receive a notification with details of their vaccine appointment date and location and a link to re-access the system to consent to the vaccination.

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