Supply and communications hold key to vaccine roll-out

Last week’s schedule of vaccinations was beset by supply problems and communications mishaps that saw elderly people turned away from surgeries without receiving the jab. Can the HSE carry off the massive programme without any more big delays?

Dr Mike Thompson and Margaret McCarthy at the Bishopstown campus of Munster Technological University in Cork where vaccinations for the over 85s were taking place last week Picture: Gerard McCarthy

Vaccinating his first round of elderly patients against Covid-19 at his GP practice in rural Donegal a week ago, Denis McCauley knew immediately that he had a problem on his hands.

“We couldn’t get them to leave the observation area, because they were so keen to chat with anything that moved. We had to tell them: ‘It’s time to go. Your 15 minutes are up’,” McCauley laughed.

Though for many GPs like McCauley the problems ...