The over-70s will be among the first groups to be given Covid-19 vaccinations, alongside long-term care residents and frontline healthcare workers, under plans to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday.
The Government will consider more than a dozen different population cohorts, determined by a range of criteria, including age, employment and vulnerability to underlying conditions.
It is understood that the first priority group identified to receive the vaccine is those aged 65 and above who are resident in long-term care institutions, such as nursing homes.
Hospital Report
The second group will be frontline healthcare workers with direct patient contact, followed by the over-70s. The plan is to immunise this final category in phases beginning with those aged over 85, followed by those aged 80-84, then 75-79 year-olds, and finally those between 70-74.
Government sources indicated a final decision has not been made on whether the three categories will overlap, or whether one group will be immunised before the process begins with the next group.
The plan, which was drawn up by the Department of Health and the National Immunisation Advisory Council, and approved by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet), will be brought to Cabinet by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
Government sources said it will be a “living document”, subject to change depending on the efficacy of different vaccines for different cohorts, and the timing of their rollout.
It comes as representative groups for frontline workers indicated their expectation that their members should be considered for priority access to the inoculation programme.
Groups representing gardaí, members of the Defence Forces, teachers and transport workers said that while they accept the elderly and vulnerable should be first in line, their members should also be considered for priority access due to their role in the State's response to the pandemic. The Irish Prison Service has requested priority access for the State's 3,800 inmates.
Daily figures
No new deaths of Covid-19 patients were reported on Monday for the second day in a row. This leaves at 2,099 the total number of Covid-related deaths. Nphet reported 242 confirmed cases of the virus, bringing to 74,468 the total number of cases in the Republic.
It comes as chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said it is "more likely than not" that Ireland will experience "challenging" levels of Covid-19 transmission in January due to increased socialisation over Christmas. It was less likely that the country will be able to avert significant levels of infections, he told the Nphet media briefing on Monday.
Asked what Nphet’s alternative was to recurrent lockdowns, Dr Holohan said officials did not want to be in a position where the only recommendation they made to Government was for tight and challenging restrictions “but if we have to do it, we will”.
Lobby groups
The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (Raco) and PDForra, the organisation representing rank-and-file Defence Forces personnel, said their members who have been involved in swabbing should be considered at the same time as other frontline healthcare workers, as should personnel deploying overseas.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors said it was not seeking preferential treatment, but its members are at the “front face” of policing the pandemic and it had raised the matter with Garda HQ. The Garda Representative Association said medical professionals would decide on priority groups but “we would expect to be a high priority among frontline workers”.
The Irish Prison Service has requested the country’s prisoners be among the priority groups to receive a vaccine ahead of its distribution to the general population.
In a letter to Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Monday, the National Bus and Rail Union also recognised that vulnerable cohorts and healthcare staff would be prioritised, but said those working in public transport “should be high on your Government’s prioritisation list for access to the vaccine”.
The Irish National Teacher’s Organisation wrote to the Taoiseach last week, saying that while it “unequivocally recognises” that vulnerable people, the elderly and healthcare workers should be first, it is “imperative” that education staff are included among essential workers prioritised for a vaccine. The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland agreed on prioritising vulnerable groups, and said it would be guided by medical advice but believed “strong consideration” must be given to those working in schools.
