'Beacon of light': Covid-19 vaccinations to begin in nursing homes on Monday 

The HSE hopes to have residents at all 580 nursing homes in the country vaccinated by the end of February. Picture: Getty Images

A Covid-19 vaccination programme for Ireland's nursing home residents is set to begin next week but residents who test positive for Covid-19 will have their vaccination appointments deferred for up to four weeks.

The Health Service Executive hopes to have residents at all 580 nursing homes in the country vaccinated by the end of February.

The programme starts on Monday, but will skip confirmed cases until they have recovered or a month after their first positive test.

The HSE said the programme has to be 'flexible' to deal with outbreaks, which will be managed by Public Health.

Nursing Homes Ireland chief executive Tadhg Daly said the news of the vaccine is really positive after a difficult year. File picture

Nursing Homes Ireland chief executive Tadhg Daly is urging people to push the numbers down, so fewer vaccine appointments will be delayed. 

He said the news of the vaccine is really positive after a difficult year. 

It's fantastic news it is, it's that beacon of light now at this stage. Obviously, it's been a very challenging year last year. The start of the year has been particularly difficult again with the large numbers of community transmission.  

"So we all need to take extra measures now in terms of the public health measures to suppress the virus again. 

"But clearly the commencement of the vaccination programme in all nursing homes is very positive and that will be complete we understand by the end of February," said Mr Daly. 

Vulnerable sector

Care homes have been particularly impacted by the spread of Covid-19 with elderly residents vulnerable to contracting and dying from the virus. 

Last month, the closure of the crisis-hit Oaklands nursing home where nine residents died after contracting Covid-19 was confirmed. 

The HSE was directed to take over the running of the private nursing home "and make alternative arrangements" for residents after Hiqa inspectors found a situation of “chaos” in early November following an outbreak of Covid-19 among residents and staff.