Results 31,661-31,680 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: They should be notified. The two distinctions are people aged 50 and older and then under 50. The people aged 50 and older will have an interval of 12 weeks. Those under 50 with a high-risk or very high-risk condition will also have an interval of 12 weeks. For those under 50 without a high-risk or very high-risk condition, the interval is 16 weeks.

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The broad intention is that they would receive AstraZeneca. There may be cases where, if there is availability of an mRNA or Janssen vaccine, it can be used. We have received very little Janssen vaccine so far. The Deputy is aware we have started rolling that out now to homeless people, which is really positive to see. It is possible, at the margins, that some people in the group will...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: How long do I have?

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Okay. The Deputy asked when the European Medicines Agency, EMA, will approve certain additional vaccines and that is a question that only the EMA can answer. I know it has a rolling review in place for vaccines. I will ask for a note to be sent to the Deputy on the position of various vaccines within the rolling reviews and vaccinations. The Deputy should remember the registration fee...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The advice came in from NIAC and the HSE is currently working through it. I will read from the latest presentation from the vaccine task force as of this week. On the NIAC recommendations in regard to the vaccination of pregnant women, it states: "This will be implemented and a working group is being established, led by the women and infants programme, to develop the referral pathway and an...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It will be in the coming weeks. I have discussed this at length with the HSE. I want to see pharmacists playing a more prominent role in this. I know they are ready to go and we have had an agreement in place with them for a very long time. The IT systems and portals for the pharmacists are being piloted with a number of community pharmacists right now. As I said earlier, the view from...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: What I want and what the HSE has asked for is that there is maximum flexibility in compassion when it comes to maternity hospitals. We all understand why that is. At the same time, the HSE continues to allow local hospitals apply discretion, which indeed they must. Some hospitals are dealing with much higher rates of Covid in the community than others. As I said earlier, we would love as...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: With regard to pregnant women, I need to be very careful not to be stepping in and providing clinical advice which I am not qualified to give. The context is as follows. NIAC recommended that pregnant women should be offered an mRNA vaccine between 14 and 36 weeks following an individual benefit-risk discussion with their obstetric caregiver. While there are currently no data published...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I start by offering the Deputy my congratulations on the birth of his daughter some time ago and on the future birth this year. My wife and I had our first two children very close together. While I congratulate the Deputy, we might have a conversation later about coping mechanisms for the very long tunnel that he is about to enter. In terms of the 24-hour vaccination centres, this came...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his questions. I absolutely share his view on the maternity services. I heard Paul Reid's comments earlier. Mr. Reid was signalling that the conditions are right to do this. As the Deputy and as that couple will be aware, however, that has not happened yet, which is why the dad is currently outside the hospital. We wish them the very best at this hopefully...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It is certainly our proposal for Ireland, for example, for anyone coming into country who would like to say he or she is vaccinated. That is all still being negotiated and worked through with the EU. The understanding, and the basis on which we are proceeding, is that member states will be given a fair amount of leniency in terms of what they do locally.

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree. Pharmacists have an important role to play. I would like to see them playing more of a role. A pilot scheme with 15 community-based pharmacists will start shortly. I spoke to the HSE this week about when it the pharmacists are going to be in place. I have expressed my desire to see them playing a more prominent role than they have been. The position to date has been that the...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: We will most definitely continue to be a voice within the European Union stating that there must be global justice and an acceleration of vaccine production and distribution right across the world. The only question for us is what is the right way to do that. There are differing views as to whether a simple waiver achieves those aims. It does not identify many of the other bottlenecks. I...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will get the Deputy a detailed breakdown. My understanding is that it might be slightly different in the 65 to 69 age category than it is for those in their 50s. There are also some regional differences. I will ask the Department to supply the Deputy with a detailed response.

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: This is one of the good news stories of the vaccine programme and the considerable reduction in cases of Covid-19 in healthcare settings, including maternity hospitals. The maternity hospitals are making local calls themselves. As the Deputy is aware, there are different rates of disease around the country and hospitals are faced with different local epidemiological situations. I will, of...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Do I have the Deputy's remaining time to respond?

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to answer the question about people who are housebound. I fully agree with the Deputy on testing and tracing. It has been, and remains, an essential part of our response to Covid and it has increased in the past number of days and weeks. In the seven days to 3 May, 124,000 tests were done. Some 4.5 million tests have been completed to...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his question. I want to say at the outset that the objective, which we all share, is global distribution of the vaccine. That is important for two reasons, as we have discussed here previously. One is that it is ethical and absolutely the right thing to do and, second, it is in our interests. There is no point in Ireland or, indeed, the western world being...

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: -----were administered.

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (6 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will ask. There have been copies every time we have come in here.