Accelerated vaccine rollout
Deputy Cullinane criticised the lack of a clear plan for speeding up the vaccine rollout and mixing vaccines for older cohorts. The Taoiseach said the programme was effective, noted new NIAC advice on AstraZeneca and Janssen, and said the HSE would implement it quickly.
We are in a race between the variant and the vaccine roll-out. We all want the roll-out to win. Yesterday, the Taoiseach stated that more people needed to be vaccinated more quickly. I agree and we all want to see that, but where is the plan? People were looking for a plan for an accelerated vaccine roll-out yesterday, but we did not see it. For the past number of weeks, we have been looking to have statements on the roll-out with the Minister in the Dáil. The Government did not provide the time. We have been calling for mixing and matching of the various vaccines for the older age cohorts, including those aged over 60 years. The Government is only looking at that now. Yesterday, we were told that we could have a two-tiered reopening of indoor hospitality, which would be problematic. Confirmations and First Communions have been paused, causing people concern. The route out of this is to accelerate the vaccine roll-out. When will we see the revised plan? We need to see it quickly. It is the key ingredient in whatever future plan is put in place to reopen hospitality.
Comment on this
The Deputy is having an each-way bet in that presentation. The vaccine programme has been very effective, I am sure the Deputy will agree. It has been excellently executed. The NIAC advice in respect of AstraZeneca and Janssen came in on Monday evening and was formally sent yesterday from the CMO to the HSE. The HSE has to work through that advice and its implications, but it will be doing so very quickly for AstraZeneca and the Janssen vaccines. We have Janssen in stock. The AstraZeneca vaccine is being used to make sure that everybody between 60 and 69 years and everybody who has had a first doze of AstraZeneca gets a second dose by 19 July. That plan is already in place. The next phase is to continue down through the age cohorts. Over 340,000 vaccines were administered last week. There will be a similar amount this week. As soon as we are getting them in, we are trying to get them out as quickly again. That is working. I have no doubt about the competency of the HSE and the task force to move on the remaining elements of this.