Covid-19 vaccination centre for Limerick opens for healthcare workers

THE three Covid-19 mass vaccination centres in the Mid West are at an advanced stage of completion, and will be ready for opening to the general public in the next few weeks. 

Under the joint governance of UL Hospitals Group and HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare, centres have been developed for Limerick (Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road); Clare (West County Hotel, Ennis) and Tipperary (Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh).

The centre at the Radisson Blu Hotel, which has 30 booths, has been opened for the vaccination of healthcare workers since last Wednesday. This is also serving as an operational dry-run to ensure maximum efficiency of the facilities when they open in the coming weeks. 

A significant amount of work has been undertaken by UL Hospitals Group, HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare and HSE Estates to ensure that these centres are fitted out and ready to provide a safe and efficient vaccination process for the public when they fully open.

When all three centres are operating at maximum capacity, vaccinator teams will be able to deliver a collective total of up to 6,000 doses of vaccine per day.

The official opening dates for the vaccination centres will be finalised in the context of vaccine supply, clinical prioritisation and sequencing, and recruitment for the multi-disciplinary teams required to provide the service.

Registered healthcare professionals including doctors (IMC), nurses & midwives (NMBI), pharmacists (PSI), physiotherapists (CORU), paramedics, advanced paramedics & emergency medical technicians (PHECC), registered optometrists (CORU) and registered dentists (Dental Council of Ireland) or other regulated healthcare professionals approved to vaccinate can apply for either full-time, part-time or flexible hours. Further information and online application is accessible here. Enquiries to: 061-588590.

Prof Paul Burke, UL Hospitals Group’s Chief Academic Officer and the Group Lead for the Mid-West Vaccination Centres, said: “We are delighted to be part of this national mobilisation and this drive to vaccinate the population is truly historic. Staff at UL Hospitals Group and HSE Mid West Community Healthcare have been to the fore in recent weeks in vaccinating the most vulnerable members of our population in our nursing homes. This has given everybody concerned great hope and added motivation to continue with the vaccination programme. The response of all stakeholders to date has been hugely encouraging.”

Anne Ryan, Mid-West Community Healthcare Covid-19 Vaccination Lead, Head of Health and Well-Being said: “We are looking forward to working with the wider community in the Mid-West region in the provision of this vital immunisation programme. Leading out on the Vaccination programme for Residential Care Facilities across the Mid-West since early January has provided significant learning. The last 12 months have been difficult and demanding for all. We now look forward to the mass rollout of the vaccine which offers hope for a better future and a safe and healthy 2021.”