One-fifth of hospitality workers did not complete first course of Covid vaccinations

The take-up of the second booster varied from just 8% in Blanchardstown/Mulhuddart to a high of 33% in Rathfarnham/Templeogue.

Over one-fifth of workers in the hospitality sector had not completed the first course of Covid-19 vaccinations by the end of November, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.

According to the Covid-19 vaccination statistics, 15% of employees across all sectors had not completed the primary course of the vaccine by November 30. The data revealed that the highest percentage of employees who had not completed the primary course were in the accommodation and food services sector, at 22%.

In contrast, 98% of employees in the human health and social work sector had received a booster.

The statistics showed a variation in the take-up of the primary vaccine course for children, with just 4% of children from five to 11 years old in the Buncrana/Carndonagh area of Donegal vaccinated, compared with 55% in the Stillorgan area of Dublin. The highest uptake in Cork was in the Macroom area, at 31%, followed by Cobh at 30%.

Meanwhile, the take-up of the second booster varied from just 8% in Blanchardstown/Mulhuddart to a high of 33% in Rathfarnham/Templeogue. There was also a low take-up in Tallaght-South and North Inner City. The CSO attributed the low take-up in those areas to the possibility of a younger population structure.

Eligibility for the second booster was recommended for those aged 65 years and older, healthcare workers, those aged 12 or older with a weak immune system or were residents of long-term care facilities, and pregnant women at 16 weeks or later who had not already received a booster vaccine in their pregnancy. The programme was extended to include people aged 50 and over in August.

Third booster

The third booster was offered from last October to people aged 65 years and older or for those aged 12 or older with a weak immune system. Just 1% of those eligible in the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart took it, while the highest uptake, 12%, was in Rathfarnham-Templeogue.

Statistician Steven Conroy said: “Nearly all employees (98%) in the human health and social work sector had received a booster, 75% had received Booster 1 and 23% had received further boosters. In the education sector, 97% of employees had received a booster, 77% had received Booster 1 and 20% had additional boosters. In the accommodation and food services sector, just 50% of employees had received a booster, 45% had received Booster 1 and 5% had further boosters.” 

He said analysis by nationality showed that just under half (48%) of employees from the 13 countries who joined the EU since 2004 had completed their primary course of vaccines, compared with 92% of Irish employees.

“Almost nine in 10 (89%) Irish employees had received a booster, 72% had received Booster 1 with 17% receiving further booster. Over three-quarters (77%) of UK employees had received a booster, 59% had received Booster 1 and 18% had further boosters. Around two in 10 (22%) employees had received a Booster 1.” 

The lower uptake among the non-Irish population could be attributed to some having been vaccinated before arriving in Ireland. The CSO said that the focus of the survey was on those who have been vaccinated in the State and would not include those who may have been vaccinated outside of Ireland.