Hundreds in 60 - 69 cohort still awaiting second AstraZeneca jab appointment, HSE confirms
Vials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. File Picture: PA
The HSE has confirmed that not all people in the 60 - 69 cohort have received an appointment for their second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.Â
The health service had planned to finish this group by the end of this week.
Instead “a small number of people”, understood to be in the hundreds, were still being contacted over the weekend to arrange an appointment for their second dose of the jab.
A HSE spokesperson said: “Some people also declined their second dose, requested a rescheduled appointment or did not attend for their appointment.”Â
The HSE has advised that if anyone is still waiting on Monday they can contact the HSE vaccine helpline to arrange the second appointment, which the spokesperson said would happen "over the coming weeks."
In all there were 450,000 people waiting on a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, including healthcare workers and people highly vulnerable to the virus.
The HSE has said this group is now "substantially completed".
Meanwhile, a further 1,179 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed this afternoon by officials at the Department of Health.
As of 4pm this afternoon, there were 91 patients with Covid-19 in hospital - 22 of whom were being treated in intensive care units, a figure unchanged since yesterday.
As with previous updates, the Department of Health said these daily case numbers may change as a result of future data review, validation and update.
As of midnight, Saturday 17th July, we are reporting 1179* confirmed cases of #COVID19.
— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) July 18, 2021
22 in ICU. 91 in hospital.
*Daily case numbers may change due to future data review, validation and update.
Earlier, Health Service Executive CEO Paul Reid said the country was in for a “bumpy journey” over the coming weeks due to the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant.
In a tweet this morning, Mr Reid said the community positivity testing rate had fallen from 8.4% to 6.7%.
He said that almost 64% of the adult population had now been fully vaccinated against the virus and that 77% of adults had received one vaccine dose.
“A white knuckle ride of vaccines versus Delta, But let’s get there,” Mr Reid said.
A bumpy journey for the next few weeks in terms of #Delta. Thankfully community positivity from testing reduced yesterday from 8.4% to 6.7%. Now 77% of people partially vaccinated and almost 64% fully. A white knucle ride of vaccines versus Delta but let's get there. @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) July 18, 2021
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn meanwhile has urged people to continue to observe public health advice to slow the spread of the Delta variant.
Dr Glynn said 2,550 cases had been confirmed in the last two days.
On Saturday, 1,377 new cases were confirmed - the highest total reported in more than five months.
In a video message shared on the Department of Health's Twitter page, Dr Glynn said there was now a particularly high incidence in people aged between 16 and 30, and the high case numbers are translating into increasing numbers in hospital and intensive care units.
He said the "key message" from health officials over the coming days is for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people to really be careful about indoor settings and to meet up outdoors, if possible.
“If you have any symptoms at all of a cold or flu, including symptoms like a headache, sore throat, or if you have a runny nose, blocked nose, blocked sinuses, please come forward and get a test.
"Don’t meet up with your friends, don’t go to work, and don’t meet up with family members if you have any of those symptoms,” he said.
In Northern Ireland, one more death and 1,402 new Covid-19 cases were reported by the NI Department of Health.
There has now been a total of 2,162 Covid-19-linked deaths recorded in the North since the pandemic began, and a total of 138,546 confirmed cases.
NI #COVID19 data has been updated:
— Department of Health (@healthdpt) July 18, 2021
đź“Š537 positive cases have been reported in past 24 hours. Sadly, one death has been reported.
đź’‰2,180,618 vaccines administered in total.
Vaccines ➡️ https://t.co/Yfa0hHVmRL
Department of Health dashboard will be updated on Monday 19 July. pic.twitter.com/F0boblWMto
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