Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Update on the Cyberattack, Covid-19 Vaccination Roll-out and Covid-19 Restrictions in Maternity Hospitals: Health Service Executive

Mr. Damien McCallion:

Yes. The national ambulance service, in fairness, increased its fleet that was available to provide that service. More than 2,700 people have been vaccinated with a first dose and second doses are continuing. This is not a static service, so we continue to get referrals from time to time. The bulk of referrals for dose one are completed and second doses are continuing in line with the defined criteria for each vaccine. There is a small number, less than 100, of referrals over recent weeks remaining and they are being scheduled. Where there has been difficulty we have also identified that in the case of some of the referrals, people might have been vaccinated through other channels, some people may have ultimately changed their mind, some may be in hospital and so on. We have worked extensively through all those referrals, thanks to general practice and in particular the ambulance service. That service is continuing, it is now dealing with smaller numbers, we are now primarily focusing on second doses and any additional referrals are still being dealt with.