Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to thank Dr. Glynn, Professor Nolan and their backup and support teams for they great work they have done over the last 12 months or more, at this stage. Many of the questions I would have asked have already been asked and I do not intend to go back over that ground. However, there is a concern now with nursing homes, in the sense that they received their first dose in January, shortly after that got their second and are, to a large extent, fully vaccinated. The concern is what happens in six months because we do not really know, certainly the public does not, what length of time the immunity will last. Has NPHET given any consideration to the period beyond the next six months, particularly in regard to nursing homes?

I will ask my second question then invite observations from the NPHET members. From their perspective and from a public health one, I am quite concerned about a particular matter, though perhaps it is unfounded. We are seeing vaccination centres for vulnerable people and vulnerable people being vaccinated in Dublin. That is a good thing and anyone being vaccinated is very welcome.

When one sees vulnerable people travelling from Donegal to Dublin to be vaccinated, however, it does not make sense. We are talking about a four-hour journey in both directions and it is most likely that those vulnerable people will have to be transported. Surely there is a risk and a concern in that regard.