Covid-19 vaccine rollout must be equitable for all citizens

Vaccinating Ireland is an enormous moral challenge and must be based on need, not just placating those who shout loudest, writes Patrick McGarty

GP Susan Ahern getting the Covid-19 vaccine from consultant surgeon Mr Noel O’Brien at the South Infirmary Hospital, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

Across the developed world, there has been widespread agreement that health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities should be the priority group for Covid-19 vaccination programmes. 

In Ireland, the residents of nursing homes, frontline health and social care workers and the older general population were identified as the first recipients of the vaccine roll-out by Brian MacCraith’s High Level Task Force on Covid-19 Vaccination.