'This makes it all worthwhile': Vaccinations begin for over-85s

Margaret Power, 93 receives an injection of the Pfizer vaccine from Dr Sheenagh MacNamara at Waterford Primary Care Centre. Picture: Niall Carson

"I couldn't sleep thinking about what I was going to have. It's a great feeling."

Shortly before 9am, great-grandmother Margaret Power became one of the first people over the age of 85 to get her Covid-19 vaccine in Waterford.

The 93-year-old is now raring to receive her second jab so that she can finally feel protected. 

Her joy was echoed by the doctors and nurses giving the injections.

"This makes it all worthwhile" was how GP Denis McCauley, a member of the Irish Medical Organisation GP committee, summed up how he and his colleagues were feeling at the end of the first day of vaccinating some of the country's oldest citizens.

“The people who have been doing the work are absolutely amazed, it’s worth it to see the reaction of the over-85s. They are all absolutely delighted to get this vaccine,” he said.

The first day was almost problem-free although he said one delivery arrived without syringes at first.

Dr McCauley said the aim now is to give 16,000 first doses to over-85s this week.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health announced 33 more deaths and 744 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday. There were 861 people in hospital including 159 in ICU.

'Very emotional day' as vaccine rollout beings in GP surgeries

For Christopher Carroll, getting the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine means he is a step closer to seeing his grandchildren again after a year cocooning from most of his family.

The 92-year-old is one of a small number of over-85s who started their vaccine programme at GP practices around the country on Tuesday.

Christopher Carroll with his daughter Joyce after he received his Covid-19 vaccination at the Keogh Practice, St John's Hill, Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan

“I was delighted to get it," he said. "We have been all cocooning for the last nearly 12 months, and all we have been doing is going out having a walk near our home." 

He has grandchildren in Midleton, Co Cork; Dublin; and England, so this year has been tough for the whole family. "We miss them all," he said. 

And Mr Carroll joked that, being a younger woman, his 81-year-old wife will have to wait a few more weeks for her first vaccine.

“If there is anyone worried about having it done, they should have no worries at all, I’m feeling great," he added.

His daughter Joyce went with him for the jab to The Keogh Practice in Waterford. She has been supporting her parents this year.

“It’s been a very emotional day,” she said. "It is a momentous day, it’s amazing for them. It’s been so hard to be cocooned for a year at this stage in their lives."

Ms Carroll, owner of Wigworld Waterford, said walks on nearby Tramore Beach were the only social outlet for her parents.

The Keogh Practice on St John's Hill is one of over 100 practices which started their vaccine rollout yesterday.

Dr Niall MacNamara was one of the seven GPs giving the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to about 300 patients between the ages of 85 and 104.

Imelda Walsh, 85, getting the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine from Dr Niall McNamara at the Keogh Practice, in the Waterford Primary Health Care Centre. Picture: Dan Linehan

The multi-location practice, which has about 2,700 patients over the age of 70, set up a dedicated Covid-19 vaccine clinic at the HSE’s primary care centre.

Dr Niall Macnamara said: “It’s an incredibly exciting day. Our staff are absolutely buzzing.

“It was one of those nights where I didn’t sleep particularly well. I woke at three in the morning — I was so excited to get in.

“We’ve lived over the last year in really difficult times, but I don’t think anyone has experienced the difficulties that this particular age group has with the restrictions on their liberties and the impact it’s had on their mental health and physical wellbeing. It’s not often you have a day like this in general practice.

“Often you have a lot of sad stories coming in. There’s a lot of mental health difficulties, a lot of trauma, a lot of people who are in pain and suffering — but this is one of those days that everyone is coming in and they’re so excited to be here. It’s an extraordinary privilege to be able to do this.” 

Nurse Caroline Allen drawing up a Covid-19 vaccine at the Keogh Practice, St John's Hill, Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan

Up to last Saturday, there were 268,551 doses given in Ireland, including 91,625 people who are now fully vaccinated.

Three vaccines are now visible on the Government data hub, with the majority getting Pfizer/BioNTech at 253,711, followed by AstraZeneca 11,449 and Moderna 3,391.

The rollout for the over-85s age group continues this week and will soon be reflected in the vaccine data.

The Irish Medical Organisation and the HSE are planning for vaccine doses to ramp up to 42,000 weekly within two weeks.