27 February 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
The first vaccinations at the Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Bishopstown campus of Munster Technological University (MTU) will take place today. GPs will vaccinate patients from certain GP practices aged 85 or over, by appointment only. The HSE is very grateful to MTU for its support to the HSE in establishing the vaccination centre in the Melbourn building. The centre will first be used by a number of GP practices to vaccinate patients aged 70 and over, and at a later date will be used as a public vaccination centre.
Aoife O’Mahony UCC Medical student working on the registration desk, the first vaccinations at the Covid-19 vaccination centre, Bishopstown campus of Munster Technological University (MTU)
Images by Gerard McCarthy
Dr Edward O’Sullivan Cork, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Colm Henry Chief Clinical Officer HSE, the first vaccinations at the Covid-19 vaccination centre ,Bishopstown campus of Munster Technological University (MTU)
Images by Gerard McCarthy
Use as hub for vaccinations of those aged 70 and over by GPs:
The centre will first be used by a number of GP practices to vaccinate patients aged 70 and over. As part of this GP vaccination roll-out, this Saturday approximately 350 people aged 85 and over will receive their first doses of a vaccine from GPs from practices across Cork city and East Cork. Over at least six weekends, the centre will operate as a hub for these GPs to administer vaccines to their patients aged 70 and over. GPs will schedule appointments for their own patients and will be in direct contact with their patients to arrange the appointments.
We are now nearing the end of the second week of the three-week programme to deliver first vaccines to those aged 85 and over by their GPs. While the majority of people receive their vaccines at their GPs’ own surgeries, the vaccination hub at MTU provides for some GPs to come together to administer the vaccine as efficiently as possible.
Use as a public vaccination centre:
Once vaccine supplies reach a point where the general population can be vaccinated, the centre will then also operate as a community vaccination centre, vaccinating the general public by appointment only. We do not have a date yet as to when these public vaccinations will begin, as this is dependent on vaccine supply.
Preparations for a network of public vaccination centres across Cork are progressing, with plans for such centres at City Hall in the city centre; the MTU Bishopstown campus; Pairc Ui Chaoimh; Mallow GAA club and West Cork (alternating between Clonakilty GAA club and Bantry Primary Care Centre). Work is underway on these centres now to ensure that they will be ready as soon as vaccine supply is available and additional updates will be provided as soon as information on confirmed vaccine supply becomes available. Based on current information, vaccine supply for the country is forecast to reach a peak in Quarter 2 2021.
About the vaccination centre at MTU
- The centre will be used over the next six weekends by GPs as part of the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines to those aged 70 and over. The number of vaccines administered each weekend will depend on the number of appointments scheduled by GPs
- When the centre is fully operational, it will have up to 40 booths, with the capability to vaccinate up to 3,000 people a day (Note, this is based on vaccine supply, and an estimate of eight vaccinations in each booth each hour).
- On Saturday February 27th, GPs expect to vaccinate approximately 350 people, all by appointment. The appointments will run from 10.30am to 3.30pm. These vaccinations are part of the GP-led rollout to the vaccine of those aged 70 and over.
- The GP lead at the centre tomorrow is Mike Thompson, Imokilly Medical Centre.
