A chara, – The intention of the HSE to rollout mRNA vaccines to all over-70s is laudable.
However, a subset of vulnerable people will be entirely missed by this programme, those who are unable to leave their houses. These people are entirely dependent on carers, who will not be vaccinated in the near-future and therefore can transmit Covid.
The mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are not amenable to transport once opened. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee has clearly stated that any vaccine is better than no vaccine, and that while the Astra Zeneca vaccine lacks evidence for a recommendation, there is no evidence of safety concerns. Crucially it can be transported more easily than the mRNA vaccines.
Will the HSE accept flexibility on this issue, or must we see yet another vulnerable group failed by the State? – Is mise,
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Dr EOIN DUNPHY, MICGP
Donegal Town,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – I am 72 years old with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. If I catch Covid, I will probably die. Yet the secretary at my GP advises me that only by the end of February may they be getting round to the over-75 cohort.
Denmark has completed vaccinations on around three times the proportion of their population than Ireland has. It is not sourcing vaccines in any special way, unlike, for example, Hungary which is using the Sputnik vaccine. But they are actually using their allocation.
While Europe may be criticised for its sourcing arrangements, this is not the problem in Ireland. Our problem is the HSE and Government. If we were using our allocation, we could then justify whatever arrangements were necessary to source more, but we are not. This matter is entirely in our own hands.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly should report daily on what improvements are planned, when they can be introduced and how they will work. He has a large portfolio so perhaps he should appoint a senior person, a vaccine “tsar” if you will, who can perform these duties. Vaccination is the only long-term hope we have, other than just waiting for herd immunity. We should be treating it seriously, and it is apparent, right now, that we are not. – Yours, etc,
PETER BARWICH,
Glounthaune,
Co Cork
Sir, – While the HSE "scrambles to revise" its Covid vaccine rollout, the NHS has vaccinated 10 million people and is adding another three million a week ("Commission unclear on whether Brexit rules permit leftover UK doses being brought into State", News, February 5th). When a British government minister proposed that surplus vaccine could be transferred to Ireland, a spokesman for the European Commission had a severe attack of gobbledegook: "You cannot say at the moment whether it would be legal or illegal. The question of legality depends on the case at the time. Whether Ireland could rely on one of the derogations in the legislation that allows for the use of unauthorised medicines would depend on the situation at that point in time, [eg] a scarcity with regard to the product that has been authorised in the EU".
Brexit Britain will have finished the race to protect its population while we are under starter’s orders looking a gift horse in the mouth. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair
Co Dhún na nGall.
Sir, – Your editorial of February 5th, "No one must be left behind", correctly points to the "rising tide of vaccine nationalism" which threatens the ability of developing countries to access Covid-19 vaccines and, in support of this, cites the fact that the EU has procured contracts to vaccinate its citizens twice over, and the US four times over.
However, there is no mention of the worst offender, the UK, which now has in place vaccine orders for roughly six times its population. Ironically, recent events have shown that this can lead to complications for the supply of vaccines to “rich states”, in this case the EU 27.
The World Health Organisation initiative Covax, which is the funding facility for fair and universal access to Covid-19 vaccines, is indeed “underfunded”, but it is worth pointing out that the EU has responded and is now the world’s biggest donor to this vital initiative. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN McDONALD,
Terenure,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – In the past couple of weeks I have noticed that the evenings are getting brighter, as is the outlook for an end to this horrible period in our history. Let’s have some positivity in the news reports from now on. Let’s have the newsreaders and Nphet announce the number of people who have been vaccinated on a daily basis. They can call it the “V” number. We will see these numbers rise in the next few weeks, as more vaccines become available. This, along with the arrival of warmer weather, will give the national psyche a much-needed lift. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’CONNOR,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – At a news conference this week, HSE chief executive Paul Reid stated that despite recent setbacks with the AstraZeneca vaccine, plans to vaccinate the over-70s by the end of March are still achievable, adding that the HSE will continue to “realign, recalibrate, reorganise and readjust”.
As one of the over-70s cohort this has greatly allayed, alleviated, mitigated and assuaged my concerns. – Yours, etc,
ROSEMARY GRAHAM
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I read today that the HSE has a “retooling plan” for me (“Decision to use Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on those over 70 leads to ‘retooling’ of plan”, News, February 6th).
I can’t wait .– Yours, etc,
DAVID MURNANE,
Dunshaughlin,
Co Meath.