Nphet to consider easing nursing home restrictions as vaccine impact 'radical'

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the impact of the vaccine on the nursing home sector has been 'radical'.

An easing of nursing home visiting restrictions is to be looked at by Nphet when they meet on Thursday.
There are now "strong indicators" that the vaccination of older people and healthcare workers is having "very positive benefits", Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said.

He added the impact of the vaccine on the nursing home sector has been "radical".

Mr Donnelly said the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and the Department of Health was now carrying out a "full review" of all of the population to be vaccinated after the current at-risk groups and he hopes to provide "particular timelines" for the remaining cohorts when this work is completed.

Mr Donnelly told the Dáil that by the end of last week, more than 500,000 vaccine doses had been administered, which he described as  "a significant milestone" and a "reflection of the hard work undertaken by the thousands of women" who are working on the vaccination rollout.
He said: 

Covid infection rates for hospital workers have fallen by approximately 95%. The number of staff in the nursing home sector absent for reasons related to Covid has fallen from several thousand to several hundred and continues to fall."

He said the latest serial testing results from the nursing home sector showed a positivity rate of just 0.2%

"Thanks to this, the National Public Health Emergency Team is today giving consideration to protocols on visitation. I know this is tremendously important to residents, families and staff."

Mr Donnelly and junior minister Mary Butler will speak to the acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn on the matter later on Thursday.

By the end of last week, more than 500,000 vaccine doses had been administered.

Ms Butler said she "would love to see movement" on nursing home visitor restrictions, however, she said caution must be exercised as there are still 104 active Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes.

Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane said people were understandably frustrated by delays to the vaccine rollout.

"We have had multiple examples in recent days of surgeries being left short in their supply, ranging from 15% to 50% of a shortfall, and having to call elderly patients and tell them that their vaccine is not there and they cannot be vaccinated. It is heartbreaking for the GPs and for the people who are expecting to be vaccinated," he said.

Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith said a number of GP practices in his constituency had yet to receive doses to vaccinate those over the age of 85.

He said elderly people were "very concerned" because they have yet to be called to get their vaccine but their "neighbours, relations and cousins" across the border in Northern Ireland have all been vaccinated.

Ms Butler said while there have been some issues, 99% of people in the over 85-group have now been vaccinated.

Independent TD Sean Canney called on the Government to produce a programme that would give clear timelines around vaccine supply and the rollout to various groups.

He said parents of children with special needs "don't want to see that they are in level A, B, C, D, E, F", and instead want to know within reason when they will get the vaccination.

"They want to get some sort of communication and speak to people who know when it's going to happen," Mr Canney said.

Mr Donnelly said the call to publish a detailed schedule was reasonable, but he said the amount of vaccinations arriving here can change "sometime several times a week" and this is causing "untold anxiety in the community".

Fine Gael TD Richard Bruton asked whether consideration should now be given to extending the gap between doses said: "We could increase the number reached by 40% if we had a longer delay between the doses for the vaccine. "

From what we hear, 80% of the impact is delivered on the first jab, and the second jab only adds another 10% to 15% to that," he told the Dáil.

"We would be better moving more quickly down through the priority groups," Mr Bruton said.