HSE Media Release
14th January 2021
101 year old Bridget (Biddy) Connolly is the first resident to receive the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at St Ita’s Community Nursing Unit, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.
101 year old Bridget (Biddy) Connolly from Meanus, Co. Limerick has become the first resident at St Ita’s Community Nursing Unit Newcastle West, Co. Limerick to be vaccinated against COVID-19. She got the vaccine today alongside healthcare workers from the Unit. Biddy was delighted to receive the vaccine as she chatted about her love of hurling and how she can’t wait to see Limerick back on the pitch to win another All Ireland Hurling title in 2021. She is also an avid horse racing fan and a great follower of Limerick racehorse owner J.P. McManus.
All Staff, residents and their families were given a HSE vaccine information leaflet, along with more detailed manufacturer’s patient information leaflet, before getting the vaccine. Afterwards, each person vaccinated was given a vaccine record card, showing the name and batch of the vaccine they have received. They will each return for their second dose, to be fully protected, in three weeks.
Noreen Conway, Director of Nursing, St Ita’s Community Nursing Unit, NCW said today:
“We’ve been waiting patiently all week for the vaccine to arrive and we were thrilled early this morning to see the HSE vaccination team arrive on site with the COVID-19 vaccine. There is a great sense of excitement among our residents and staff who by tomorrow will all have received their first COVID-19 vaccinations. It is a great way to start 2021”
Mary O’Brien, Head of Service, Older Persons, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare said today:
‘It is another great day as we see our first residents and staff in Limerick Community Nursing Units receive their COVID-19 vaccination. I am delighted the roll out of the COVID vaccine is continuing across our Community Nursing Units in the Mid West this week. The remaining units will receive the first dose of the vaccine in the next ten days. All Residents and staff welcome the vaccine and uptake remains really high in our residential settings’.
Worldwide, vaccines save at least 2-3 million lives each year – and protect many more from crippling and lifelong illnesses. Only COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorised by the European Medicines Agency, having met stringent safety and effectiveness standards, will be used in Ireland. All COVID-19 vaccines will be carefully monitored over time and updated safety data and information will be published and shared by the HSE, on our website and in our printed information materials.
Everyone can find factual, up-to-date information, based on scientific evidence on:
www.hse.ie/covid19vaccine
www.gov.ie/covid19vaccine
www.hpra.ie
www.who.int
Photo Captions:
Photo 1: 101 year old Bridget (Biddy) Connolly from Meanus, Co. Limerick, the first resident at St Ita’s Community Nursing Unit Newcastle West Co. Limerick, receiving Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine from peer vaccinator Irene Mulcaire from Newcastlewest & Margaret Larkin (St. Ita’s).
Photo 2: Director of Nursing at St Ita’s Community Nursing Unit Noreen Conway from Patrickswell, Limerick receiving the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine from peer vaccinator Joan Cremin (St Ita’s)
ENDS
Issued by: HSE Mid West Community Healthcare
Notes for Editors:
About the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
The COVID-19 vaccine offers people protection from COVID-19, and getting a COVID-19 vaccine should also protect people from the serious complications of COVID-19. Our aim in offering the vaccine to the population is to protect people and reduce the illness and deaths caused by this virus.
· The first delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine was received by the HSE on December 26th, and the vaccination programme began on December 30th. Based on advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, NIAC, our first limited stock were given to people in hospital settings, where medical teams can be on call on site.
· From January 4th, the programme is being rolled out to long term residential care facilities for older people. This will be aligned with further and ongoing deliveries of the vaccine, over a 6 week rolling programme throughout all 582 nursing homes, public and private, all over the country. Our vaccinator teams will be giving vaccines at each of those locations, making 2 separate visits, 3 weeks apart.
· In the later phases of the programme that will focus on the next priority groups, people may be vaccinated through mass vaccination clinics, GP surgeries and community pharmacies. This will be done by qualified and trained healthcare workers, including hospital doctors, community medical officers, nurses, GPs and pharmacists. More information will be given about the later phases when they have been agreed and implemented.
· Ireland has approximately 580 nursing homes, 80% of which are privately owned, and the vaccination of their residents is a highly complex process requiring the cooperation of all stakeholders.
· Each CHO is working with their local nursing home providers to finalise their schedules. This requires each provider to assure themselves that they can register each staff member and resident who wishes to take the vaccine and collect the required 55 individual pieces of information on each person who wishes to be vaccinated several days before the vaccination team is due to arrive.
· Each provider must also ensure that each staff member and each resident (and their families where appropriate) understand and give informed consent to the vaccine.
· The target completion date for all 580 Public, Private and Voluntary Nursing Homes is February 28th next, bearing in mind that COVID outbreaks may interrupt vaccination.
· The HSE has commenced an information programme all about the vaccine, starting with printed and online information for the first priority groups being offered the vaccine, along with national and regional radio advertising, and social media advertising on a range of platforms.
· Our information covers the topics that people told us were most important to them – when the vaccine will be available, who is in the priority groups, safety and long-term side effects, and how effective the vaccine is. You can find our vaccine information materials and other details at www.hse.ie/covid19vaccine, and through our social media accounts.
We encourage everyone in Ireland to read more about the COVID-19 vaccine and to get their information from a factual, trusted source, like the HSE, Gov.ie, the HPRA or the World Health Organisation