An adjustment to the rollout of Covid vaccines announced this week will see those aged 16-69, with a medical condition that puts them at very high risk (‘cohort 4’), vaccinated directly after those aged over 70 and living in the community.

Those aged 65-69 will be vaccinated alongside healthcare workers who are not in a patient-facing role (‘cohort 6’), including key workers essential to the vaccine programme. 

On the adjustment to the sequencing of vaccine rollout, Fórsa official Chris Cully said the union takes a pragmatic view: “We’re supportive of the reasoning around prioritisation of those with chronic illness. With regard to those health care workers who are not in a patient-facing role, the adjustment is less disruptive as the supply of vaccines increase.

“Nevertheless, there is a need to remain aware of the risk either of infection or transmission by a non-vaccinated member of staff, and to implement rollout accordingly. There’s a broad spectrum within this cohort, from those working from home to, for instance, working in a non-clinical environment on a hospital campus or similar,” she said.

Meanwhile, vaccination of ‘frontline’ health care workers continues at pace, with figures this week supplied by the HSE showing more than 75,000 health care workers received the first dose of the vaccine in the month of February, while the total number of frontline healthcare workers who have received the first vaccine dose will be 204,000 by the end of February. The HSE has said additional supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine is due this week and will be available for distribution next week in order to complete this phase of the programme.

Planning and supply

The HSE also issued a new workforce plan dealing with the recruitment of vaccinators, which includes recruitment of workers not already working in healthcare, such as retired doctors, nurses and pharmacists, in order to protect the continued provision of other healthcare services. Chris added: “The document details the designated staff roles, including admin and pharmacy staff, at each of the HSE’s dedicated vaccination centres, which are expected to be fully operational by mid-March.”

Chris said it’s expected that up to 2,600 staff (whole time equivalent) will be required to operate the clinics at maximum capacity.

Meanwhile, the health minister said this week that Ireland has ordered 18.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, which he said was enough to vaccinate 10.3 million people.

Response

The Office of the Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE this week wrote to the health staff panel, in response correspondence sent last week expressing concern about the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Dr Colm Henry said recent data showed an improved efficacy rate for the vaccine, with more recent data reporting 70% effectiveness for the vaccine and with no cases of hospitalisation or severe Covid-19 from 21 days after the first dose of the vaccine.

He added: “There are also reports that vaccine efficacy is 82% after the second dose when a 12 week interval is used between doses.” The head of Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division Éamonn Donnelly welcomed the response, which he said was "evident of being well-considered, comprehensive and contained welcome assurances."

Éamonn said that while data to confirm a reduction in the rate of Covid infection among health staff was not yet available, anecdotal evidence indicated a decline, while the HSE reported yesterday that the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has continued to drop.