HSE Media Release
23rd January 2021
101 year old Nora Gray & 85 Year Old Bernie Ryan were the first residents at St Camillus' Hospital, Shelbourne Road, Limerick to receive their Pfizer BioNTech COVID19 vaccine.
101 year old Nora Gray from Knockfune, Newport Co. Tipperary & Bernie Ryan from Woodview Park, Caherdavin Co. Limerick have become the first residents at St Camillus’ Hospital, Shelbourne Road, Limerick to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Nora, who turns 102, on February 16th was delighted to receive the vaccine. Nora joked that now she has had the vaccine she can replicate what she “did for her 90th birthday celebrations when she visited her granddaughter in Australia”
Bernie from Limerick commented “ I can’t wait to be able to see my seven children and 11 grandchildren and I’m looking forward to being able to have my weekend visits home again soon. Bernie also joked she “would love to go dancing at the Glentworth on Sunday night now she has the vaccine”
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
Director of Nursing Sian Rowe McCormack was the first staff member vaccinated, McCormack said:
All week there has been a lovely air of expectancy at the hospital in anticipation of the vaccine arriving. Between today and tomorrow our residents and frontline staff will have received their first doses and as Director of Nursing I am so proud of all of them, they have displayed so much resilience and care over the past 10 months”
Peer Vaccinator Mairead Duggan, ADON administered the first shots; Duggan is from Newmarket-On-Fergus, Co. Clare, said: “I’m thrilled to be a peer vaccinator and to also receive the vaccine today, the sense of joy and relief has to be seen to be believed, I’m delighted with how today has gone and by tomorrow we will have a big weight lifted off our shoulders with residents and staff receiving their first doses.
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
ENDS
Issued by: HSE Mid West Community Healthcare
Photo Captions:
Photo 1: Peer vaccinator Mairead Duggan vaccinating Director of Nursing at St Camillus’ Hospital Sian Rowe McCormack
Photo 2: Assistant Director of Nursing at St Camillus’ Hospital, Mairead Duggan, receiving the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination from peer vaccinator Audrey
Photo 3: 85 year old Bernie Ryan from Woodview Park, Caherdavin, Limerick, a resident at St Camillus’ Hospital, receiving her COVID-19 vaccination from peer vaccinator Mairead Duggan
Photo 4: 101 year old Nora Gray from Knockfune, Newport, Co. Tipperary resident at Nursing at St Camillus’ Hospital, receiving her COVID-19 vaccination from peer vaccinator Mairead Duggan