Minister visits local vaccine and test centres
In Cavan over 42,500 vaccinations have been administered at the Kilmore hotel to date.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly this week toured COVID-19 vaccination and testing centres in Cavan and Monaghan.
During the whistlestop visit he attended the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres in Cavan town and Castleblayney, and the COVID-19 Testing Centre at Monaghan GAA grounds, An Cloghan.
The purpose of his visit was to meet with and thank the staff at the sites for all their tremendous work in the fight against COVID-19.
At the vaccination centres he toured the respective set-ups, chatting to staff at the frontline of the ongoing effort by CHO 1 to ensure that every person in Cavan and Monaghan who is eligible gets vaccinated.
As of Sunday last, August 15, 6,371,213 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide.
In Cavan over 42,500 vaccinations have been administered at the Cavan Vaccination Centre at the Kilmore hotel to date, while over 35,500 vaccinations have been administered in Monaghan, between its previous location at the Hillgrove hotel in Monaghan town and its current location at the Glencarn hotel, Castleblayney.
Nationally the vaccination programme has been one of the most successful in Europe with high take up figures, with anyone aged 12 and over can now eligible to register online for a jab. Children aged 12-15 can either get a Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Gerry Clerkin, Acting Chief Officer, CHO Area 1 said while there has been a “very positive” uptake of the vaccination in Cavan, the HSE is still encouraging anyone from 12 years up to avail of their free vaccination. “We in turn protect each other.”
Separately, a pop-up COVID-19 Test Centre has opened in Monaghan Town, as COVID-19 cases in the county remain high.
HSE North East have seen the number of COVID-19 cases remain high in recent weeks in particular in the Monaghan and Ballybay-Clones Local Electoral Areas (LEAs).
The latest figures, covering the 14 day incidence reported an incidence rate of 868 cases per 100,000 of population in Monaghan, and Ballybay-Clones with an incidence rate of 712.8 cases per 100,000 of population. This compares to a national incidence rate of 422.5/100,000 of population.
The free ‘pop-up’ COVID-19 test centre in Monaghan Town is open to members of the public of any age, and will be hosted at the St. Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Market Road, Monaghan Town, for two days on Friday, August 20 and Saturday, August 21.
Dr Keith Ian Quintyne, Director of Public Health (Acting) with the Department of Public Health, HSE North East, said: “We are hopeful we will break the chains of transmission in the community with the help of the public availing of the walk-in and self-referral test centre in Monaghan Town and adhering to Public Health guidelines.”