UHG administers first vaccine ahead of nursing home roll-out

All residents and staff of Galway’s nursing homes who want a vaccine against Covid-19 will have received it by the end of February, the HSE has said.

A small number of vaccinations were administered to staff and patients at University Hospital Galway this week – signalling what everyone hopes is the beginning of the end of the Coronavirus pandemic.

But as the HSE prepares to roll-out an immunisation programme to hundreds of workers and residents in Galway’s 43 nursing homes, new Lockdown restrictions are expected to come into force soon as confirmed cases of Covid-19 spiked over Christmas.

Lorna Quinn, Assistant Director of Nursing, became the first Galwegian to receive the first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech at UHG on Tuesday, from her colleague Michelle McNamara Nee.

Ms Quinn was one of 500 staff at the city hospital who will get their first dose by New Year’s Day.

“I am delighted to get this vaccine. I am one of the assigned peer vaccinators who will deliver the vaccine to staff across the hospital and I am really looking forward to being part of this historic vaccination campaign. Information will be provided to each person who receives the vaccine explaining the process to them, including the requirement to receive a second dose of this vaccine in three weeks,” she said.

Meanwhile, the schedule of the rollout of the vaccines to long-term care and nursing homes begins in Galway on January 14 with Corrandulla Residential Nursing Home, Áras Mhic Dara in An Cheathrú Rua and Unit 5&6 of Merlin Park first up on the list.

The last four local homes – Coral Haven in Ballinfoile, Mountbellew, Blake Manor in Ballinderreen and Brampton in Oranmore – are in line for vaccinations on January 29.

See full story, and full breakdown of vaccine schedule for nursing homes, in this week’s Connacht Tribune on sale in shops now – or you can download our digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie

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