Written answers
Wednesday, 21 April 2021
Department of Health
Vaccination Programme
Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1842. To ask the Minister for Health if there is any priority based on age in the vulnerable at risk category of persons aged 16 to 64 years in the roll-out of the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19105/21]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.
On the 23rd of February, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy. In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death. The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.
On the 30th of March, the Government approved a further update to the COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Strategy. Based on clinical, scientific and ethical frameworks produced by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and my Department, following the vaccination of those most at risk, future groups will be vaccinated by age, in cohorts of 10 years (i.e., 64-55; 54-45, etc.).
The move to an age-based model better supports the programme objectives by:- protecting those at highest risk of severe disease first, which benefits everyone most;- facilitating planning and execution of the programme across the entire country;- improving transparency and fairness.
Further details are available here: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/93f8f-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-irelands-vaccination-prioritisation-list/.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1843. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE sent out co-correspondence to or direction to general practitioners to prioritise persons aged 18 plus within the vulnerable at risk category of the category of persons aged 16 to 64 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19106/21]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
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