One pharmacist had 4,500 Covid vaccine requests from young people

Seán Hurst of Hurst Pharmacy in Kilkee, Co Clare, said he received the enquiries over a five-day period, with an influx of young holidaymakers to the popular seaside town adding to demand.

A West Clare pharmacist has said there is “phenomenal” demand for the vaccine against Covid-19 after he received 4,500 enquiries from young people anxious to get the jab

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s unexpected announcement that pharmacies would be administering the vaccine to 18-34-year-olds resulted in huge volumes of calls for appointments to pharmacies countrywide.

Sean Hurst of Hurst Pharmacy in Kilkee, Co Clare, said he received an estimated 4,500 enquiries over a five-day period, with an influx of young holidaymakers to the popular seaside town adding to demand.

“It was phenomenal. People were ringing us from Ennis to get a vaccine. I am the only pharmacist administering the vaccine in Kilkee.

The first I heard of it was when the phone starting ringing at 7am on Friday morning.

“

Words can’t explain the magnitude of the interest. It was beyond belief

. Every business in the town want their staff vaccinated because they are front line.

“We got no information from the HSE before the announcement. There was some circular, which wasn’t well circulated. It came on July 2, but very few people saw it.

He said a GP who is on holidays in Kilkee has offered to help him run a few vaccination sessions. It is very difficult to get locum pharmacists because they are already working in mass vaccination centres.

He plans to vaccinate about 10 people daily as he has to fit them in with his normal dispensing duties.

He said the health minister should have made the announcement 10 or 14 days after the vaccines were delivered to pharmacies to allow them to put protocols in place.

The minister said the HSE expects to have around 205,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine in July.