Dáil debates

Thursday, 25 March 2021

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme (Health): Statements

 

10:50 am

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. There is a really interesting discussion that we are beginning to have around vaccine certificates or, as the Deputy said, not necessarily just that but it could also be negative PCR tests. We have seen very interesting pilots in Israel, for example, with open-air concerts available to people who can authenticate that they have been vaccinated. I know the Deputy will be well aware the EU is looking at so-called green certs, although, interestingly, the WHO, as of now, is not in favour of that because of the question around transmissibility versus protection. However, it is a very interesting question that we need to look further into.

To give a short answer on whether the risk profile is changing in terms of the link between the number of cases and the number of hospitalisations and fatalities, absolutely, it is. It is exactly what the national vaccination programme is doing. It is by vaccinating those most vulnerable that, essentially, for the same number of cases, what we will be expecting to see is significantly less illness, harm and death from that. That is exactly what we want so we can start having a very different conversation about people being able to return to more normal lives.

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