THE STRATEGY FOR rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine is to be presented to government by 11 December, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Speaking to reporters at Dublin Port today, he said he spoke to the chairman of the Government’s vaccine taskforce, Professor Brian McCraith this morning about the delivery of the report on how to manage a national vaccine roll-out.
The taskforce is meeting today to discuss the logistics of the plan, such as, in addition to GPs and pharmacies, who else might be able to administer the vaccine.
“They’re working very energetically on this. He [McCraith] hopes to have a strategy for government by the 11th of December, in terms of how we will distribute vaccines.
“It will require a national effort to get the vaccines out properly and safely. And we are working with all stakeholders and people generally to cooperate with us.
“And again, a bit like the inter-agency cooperation on Brexit, we will need inter-agency cooperation. All hands on deck for a national effort around the vaccine as well,” said the Taosieach.
The taskforce will today also discuss what groups should get the vaccine first, and the plan for vaccinating healthcare workers.
The issue of indemnity will also be a matter up for discussion, which will factor in the role the State Claims Agency will play.
How consent forms are administered as well as how data is collected from those that are vaccinated are also some of the matters the need to be worked out.
Due to some of the vaccines requiring below 70 degrees storage facilities, the logistics around storing the vaccine in some cases needs to be clarified.
It is understood that Pfizer has agreed to transport its vaccine to each member state in the EU, and to also provide storage trucks.
It is believed that mandatory vaccination of the population is not something under consideration.
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