Minister visits region’s vaccination and test centres

Almost 43,000 vaccines have been delivered since it the Cavan vaccination centre first opened to the public back in April.

Minister Stephen Donnelly’s arrival at the Cavan vaccination centre last week had none of the usual frisson of anxiety a person overseeing response to the single largest health crisis the country has seen, might feel.

After all, he was riding high in the knowledge Ireland boasted the second best uptake rate for vaccines in Europe, at more than 80 per cent. Allied to that were reports over 90,000 of 12 to 15 year-olds had registered for their first jab. Only Malta, a Mediterranean island with a population a tenth in size, could claim better.

Regardless, Minister Donnelly cut an altogether different character to that which greeted a rapidly spreading Delta variant and ‘likely fourth wave’ with almost abject gloom this time last month.

Sashaying from his ministerial car, leaving behind the suit jacket worn at earlier stops in Louth, Monaghan, and the Covid-19 test centre at Castlesaunderson, he quickly began engaging with those nearest.

An hour-and-a-half late, with a trip to Sligo still on the horizon, he greeted his work in Cavan by rolling-up his shirt sleeves, both figuratively and literally.

“Its incredible,” gushed the Minister, before admitting that health experts “really didn’t know” what the reaction would be when the portal for registering teenagers first opened.

“Will they come in? Will they not? But we’ve had over 70 per cent uptake already,” he remarked. It is the minister’s belief that the encouraging stats are a consequence of the positive reports shared publicly about the experience attendees have at centres like Cavan.

According to Aisling Duffy, Site Manager for the Cavan vaccination centre, almost 43,000 vaccines were delivered since it first opened to the public back in April. Of those, 23,000 are second doses, with 20,000 more first-time jabs.

Running at full tempo, with anywhere up to 30 staff in the Hotel Kilmore centre, they have vaccinated up to 811 attendees in a single day.

Over 35,500 vaccinations have been administered at the Monaghan Vaccination Centre, between its previous location at the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan town and its current location at the Glencarn, Castleblayney.

It has been, Ms Duffy told The Anglo-Celt, nothing short of “an incredible effort” by the cobbled multi-disciplinary team in what remains a relatively short 16-17 week period. “Every single person working here has played a crucial role,” she said. “Its important to acknowledge that.”

The current phase of the national programme means anyone aged 12 and over can now register for their COVID-19 vaccination.

Among the first encountered on his ministerial walk-through, guarding the front door, was Shannon.

Flanked by Fianna Fail colleagues Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth and an entourage of assembled others, Minister Donnelly jokingly came close to being asked for his credentials before being finally allowed entry.

Once inside he breezed through the centre, experiencing first-hand every element from its strict queuing system, to the set-up of 10 vaccinations booths, stopping to chat to centre staff, the patter often the same as before.

“We’re getting there a lot quicker,” the minister brimmed, addressing Fidelma whose job it is to manage the throughput of attendees. “The idea that we’re [vaccinating] 12 year olds in mid-August is just phenomenal.”

Stepping in, manager Ms Duffy shared her experience of the pervading one-for-all attitude from within. When asked to “scale up” at the height of the vaccination effort, Cavan staff did so without fuss.

“The team here all put their shoulders to the wheel and pushed it on, that is what has helped us to get to where we are,” she enthused.

Like Geraldine, who on a normal day works with the HSE dental team at Drumalee, many centre staff split their professional roles with shoring up the vaccination effort.

“I was delighted to have the opportunity to help out and do my bit,” she told the minister, while vaccinator Pamela spoke of how “wonderful” it was to share the burden with such an array of ages, skills, and backgrounds. “The younger ones have been learning from the older ones, and vice versa, that to me has been great.”

It is not yet known what the plan is for the next step in vaccinations. Country music star Nathan Carter is scheduled to play the hotel venue come November, with Ms Duffy informing what the future holds is currently under discussion at government level.

Before leaving, the minister addressed some of those concerns when, only the day before, it was indicated that Ireland was on course to begin rolling out booster shots for vulnerable people and frontline workers from as soon as September.

“We don’t know how fast that’ll happen,” said Minister Donnelly, only to say the government is awaiting advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) on “if we do, when we do it, and for who?”

Continuing, he commented that the question “no one has answered yet” is how long does the vaccine last?

“Does it last for six months, or does it last for two years. It’s all so new. We just don’t know. But certainly for the coming months people will have to cover some of the basics, they’ll have to remain in place in some areas, but hopefully not for two much longer. We’ll have to wait and see.”