UL Hospitals Group administers 500,000th Covid-19 vaccine

UL Hospitals Group and HSE Mid West Community Healthcare have marked the administration of the 500,000 dose of Covid-19 vaccine in the region.

As the milestone was reached last Friday, UL Hospitals Group CEO, Prof Colette Cowan; Chief Operating Oofficer Noreen Spillane and Maria Bridgeman, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare Chief Officer, visited the three vaccination centres in Limerick, Nenagh and Ennis.

The delivery of the half-a-million vaccines was significantly accelerated in the pre-Christmas period, due to demand for vaccine boosters, and the take-up of walk-in clinics both for boosters and primary doses.

At least 88,065 booster doses have been delivered to date, and attendances at walk-in clinics have totalled approximately 51,000.

UL Hospitals says the vaccination of children has also been very successful. A total of 25,915 vaccines have been delivered to those aged between 12 and 15 to date, and 8,086 vaccines have been delivered to children aged between five and 11 since the start of 2022.

HSE Mid West Community Healthcare vaccination teams have also been busy with mobile vaccination clinics to deliver more than 22,000 vaccine doses to people in residential care settings, mental health services, to adults and children with physical and intellectual disabilities, to the house-bound, prison services, and to many who would have found it difficult to attend the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres.

Commenting on the take-up of vaccines in Limerick and across the region, Irene O’Connor, General Manager of the Covid-19 Mid-West Vaccination Centres, applauded the “extraordinary” response of the public.

"This programme got under way on January 4, 2021, and it is a privilege to have served the people of the Mid-West to the point where can mark the half-million vaccines milestone. This work will continue, but it is wonderful to reflect on this achievement and acknowledge the support of the public for the vaccination programme.”

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UL Hospitals Group CEO, Prof Colette Cowan, added: “The national vaccination programme was a major factor in making possible the easing of the restrictions that have dominated our lives for the past two years, so it’s very appropriate that we acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of everyone in UL Hospitals Group and in Community Healthcare Mid-West who has been involved in Covid-19 vaccination in this region."

Prof Cowan says the vaccination centres in Limerick, Nenagh and Ennis remain open and are running walk-in and self-scheduling clinics for Primary Dose 1 and 2 vaccines and booster doses, all the time. "We urge anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to avail of these opportunities to get the vaccine that will give themselves and their loved ones and communities protection from Cowan-19,” she stated.

Maria Bridgeman says the reaching of the 500,000 milestone is a testament to the general public and their trust in the vaccines and in the qualified and dedicated professionals who administer them.

"HSE Mid West Community Healthcare is delighted to have worked in partnership with UL Hospitals Group to deliver this vital programme, and we look forward to continuing this work into the future. For those who have yet to come forward for a Covid-19 vaccine, I encourage you to do so in order to protect your health, and that of your loved ones.”

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The 500,000 vaccinations administered by UL Hospitals is in addition to those administered by the National Ambulance Service, General Practitioners and pharmacists.