12 October 2022
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
It’s the first of 12 mobile vaccination units around the country
The Cork Kerry Community Healthcare West Cork vaccination team will deploy a new Covid-19 mobile vaccination unit this winter. 12 such units are planned for the country, and West Cork took delivery of the first vehicle recently.
Cora Hayes, the vaccination lead at the West Cork vaccination centre, said the team in Bantry is delighted to be making vaccination as accessible as possible for key target groups this winter.
She said: “Our Cork Kerry Community Healthcare West Cork Vaccination Team has completed close to 75,000 vaccinations since the start of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Most of these were completed through the vaccination centres in Clonakilty and Bantry but 1250 were completed during visits to homes, to residential care facilities, to an island clinic, to international protection accommodation service and to workplaces.
“We are delighted to now have a mobile vaccination unit in West Cork which will allow us to offer a more flexible service and improve accessibility for the people of the region.”
This vehicle will initially be used to:
• Add capacity to the vaccination programme in residential care facilities (eg nursing homes), making it easier and faster for healthcare workers to get vital vaccines this winter.
• Provide flu vaccinations for healthcare workers in the region, with clinics planned in several towns shortly. Again, easy access to the flu vaccine for healthcare workers will be key to keeping the people they work with safe and well this winter.
A total of 12 vehicles will be sent out to sites across the country to undertake vaccination in tandem with other vaccination programmes. The mobile units will operate clinics in various ways e.g. pop up, self-scheduled or pre-arranged with a venue.
The HSE wish to acknowledge and thank sincerely the Scottish Ambulance Service for its assistance in establishing this model with the Republic of Ireland.
Meanwhile, the West Cork vaccination centre will shortly move to a new location at Newtown, Bantry. The Eircode for the new vaccination centre location is P75 H304. Staff will start work from the centre in the week beginning Monday October 3.
The public can continue to make their appointments for Covid-19 boosters or initial vaccination at hse.ie/covid19vaccine or by ringing HSELive on 1800 700 700.
Cora Hayes added: “We’d like to sincerely thank the people of West Cork for their welcome and support for the vaccination team in all the locations we’ve operated out of. We strongly encourage them to continue to use this facility and make an appointment for their next Covid-19 vaccination as soon as it is due.”
John O’Regan Vaccinator and and Sally Back Vaccinator
Sally Back vaccinator, Cora Hayes, Vaccination Centre lead, Peggy Horan GM Area vaccination Lead, John O’Regan vaccinator and Deirdre O’Mahony Clinic Lead ,Taking delivery of the first Covid-19 mobile vaccination unit this winter, are the Cork Kerry Community Health West Cork vaccination team. A total of 12 vehicles will be sent out to sites across the country to undertake vaccination in tandem with other vaccination programmes. The mobile units will operate clinics in various ways e.g. pop up, self-scheduled or pre-arranged with a venue.
Photography By Gerard McCarthy
Deirdre O’Mahony Clinical Lead and Cora Hayes vaccination Centre Lead, Taking delivery of the first Covid-19 mobile vaccination unit this winter, are the Cork Kerry Community Health West Cork vaccination team. A total of 12 vehicles will be sent out to sites across the country to undertake vaccination in tandem with other vaccination programmes. The mobile units will operate clinics in various ways e.g. pop up, self-scheduled or pre-arranged with a venue.
