HEALTH MINISTER STEPHEN Donnelly has announced an acceleration of the country’s vaccination programme.

The new plan means that those in nursing homes, as well as mental health and disability residential centres, should receive the jab sooner than expected. 

Donnelly said: “By the end of this week, our plan is to have given over 40,000 vaccines to frontline healthcare workers and nursing home staff and residents, the plan is on target.”

 “We had planned to vaccinate all 75,000 residents and staff with the first dose of the vaccine by the end of January. We’re now accelerating this plan to finish earlier, meaning that the first dose will be given to all residents and staff in the next two weeks.”

The HSE is now mobilising 65 vaccination teams including hospital vaccinators, community vaccinators, school vaccinators and the National Ambulance Service. Vaccinations which will take place seven days a week.

“We’ve decided to use some of our one week buffer as our supply of vaccines has been constant and we’ve received solid reassurance from Pfizer that this will continue to be the case.”

“Speed is of the essence and this is especially true for the most vulnerable people in our society.”