Carers and disadvantaged could move up vaccine priority list

The latest priority list, available on the Department of Health and Royal College of Physicians Ireland websites, followed discussions with clinicians working with a wide range of patients. Stock picture

Carers, the socially vulnerable, and the disadvantaged could be among the groups who could next be moved up the vaccine priority list, according to the head of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).

Professor Karina Butler said vaccine supply remains an obstacle and the harsh reality is that there is not yet enough supply for widespread vaccination.

However, she offered hope to groups who did not see their status change this week, saying: “NIAC will continue to look at the priority for other groups including those working or living in high-risk situations, carers and those who are socially vulnerable or disadvantaged.” 

At a vaccine roll-out briefing, Prof Butler said the elevation of vulnerable people with cancers or motor neurone disease up to Group 4 — meaning they are next in line after the over-70s — is good news already for their carers.

There might be people who still feel left out of the mix, we would like to have everybody vaccinated tomorrow, but that is not possible. Every time we take a group and push them up, then someone else is going down.

The latest priority list, available on the Department of Health and Royal College of Physicians Ireland websites, followed discussions with clinicians working with a wide range of patients. Emerging evidence from the UK and Israel will feed into the next round, and possibly allow for wider use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, she said.

Cohort 4 now includes people aged 16 to 64 whose health condition means they have the same ‘very high risk’ from Covid-19 as people over 70. Among them are people with lung, head or neck cancer who are receiving treatment and all those with advanced cancers.

At the same briefing, health minister Stephen Donnelly said Ireland has ordered 18.3m doses of various vaccines assuming no further disruptions to supply.

And he predicted more than 7,000 vaccinators will give 250,000 doses weekly from April with the Johnson & Johnson, Valneva, and Novovax vaccines added to the existing three. 

He is seeking clarity from AstraZeneca following reports on Monday of a possible further cut in supply to the EU generally.

Prof Butler said it is too early to say how effective current vaccines will be against a new variant revealed this week in California, B.1.427/B.1.429, and a second UK variant.

Meanwhile, parents of children returning to school on Monday have been warned that the reopening is not a signal for house visits and play dates.

Junior and senior infants, as well as first and second class in primary schools, will be among the first back to school.

Leaving Certificate students will also return next week.

Liz Canavan, assistant secretary at yhe Department of the Taoiseach, said: "The opening of schools is not a signal for anything else, household visits, play dates, meeting more than one other household outdoors are all still out.

"Previously, one in five household contacts of a positive case contracted the virus. Now, it is one in three.

"This new variant behaves different — it is like a new virus, outbreak data is telling us it spreads more easily, faster and outbreaks are bigger. It will exploit every opportunity we give it."