Two Dublin maternity hospitals have confirmed they administered vaccines to non-staff members and say it was because there were doses which would have been discarded if not used on the day.
Two family members of staff at Dublin s Rotunda Hospital received Covid-19 vaccine Two family members of staff at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin received Covid-19 vaccines which it says would have been wasted otherwise. Cate McCurry and James Ward, PA 18 January, 2021 19:24
Two family members of staff at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin received Covid-19 vaccines which it says would have been wasted otherwise.
It comes after a similar controversy at the Coombe Hospital, where 16 family members of staff at the maternity hospital received the Coronavirus vaccine.
A total of 37 people received the vaccine from remnants of vials delivered to the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin which were intended for its staff.
Health minister seeks full account after leftover vaccines given to family members of Coombe hospital staff The hospital said that, of the 16 recipients, nine were over 70 and the other seven were of varying ages
18 January, 2021 11:27
The health minister has asked bosses at the Coombe hospital in Dublin for a full account after it emerged that Covid-19 vaccinations were given to family members of staff.
The relatives of employees at the south Dublin hospital were vaccinated with doses left over from a batch.
Stephen Donnelly said he will speak to the chairman of the Coombe Hospital board about the matter.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said 16 doses of the vaccine were left after 1,100 frontline workers, including GPs and community health staff, were vaccinated.
The health minister has asked bosses at the Coombe hospital in Dublin for a “full account” after it emerged that Covid-19 vaccinations were given to family members of staff.
The relatives of employees at the south Dublin hospital were vaccinated with doses left over from a batch.
Stephen Donnelly said he will speak with the chairman of the Coombe Hospital board about the matter.
Trust in the vaccine programme is of critical importance and what happened should not have happened
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly
A spokeswoman for the hospital said 16 doses of the vaccine were left after 1,100 frontline workers, including GPs and community health staff, were vaccinated.
Updated / Friday, 8 Jan 2021
21:50
The hospital said that five or six vaccinators are working in rotation
One of Dublin s main maternity hospitals has said all eligible staff will have received their first doze of the Pfizer Biontech vaccine by this evening.
The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital began vaccinating staff on Wednesday when it received its first delivery.
The master of the hospital, Professor Michael O Connell, said the vaccine was thawed when it was arrived and could be kept in a fridge for five days.
The clock began ticking.
Staff had been trained in the days leading up to the delivery and they were ready to go straight to work.