New mobile vaccine unit for West Cork

Wed, 12 Oct, 2022 - 13:06

Breda Graham

The Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) West Cork vaccination team has deployed the first mobile vaccination unit in West Cork.

There are 12 such units planned for the country that will operate clinics in various ways such as pop-up, self-scheduled or pre-arranged with a venue, and West Cork took delivery of the first vehicle recently.

The vehicle will initially be used to add capacity to the vaccination programme in residential care facilities, making it easier and faster for healthcare workers to get vital vaccines this winter, and to provide flu vaccinations for healthcare workers in the region.

Vaccination Lead at the West Cork vaccination centre, Cora Hayes, said the team in Bantry is delighted to be making vaccination as accessible as possible for key target groups this winter.

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.

“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 1,250 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.”

The HSE acknowledged and thanked the Scottish Ambulance Service for its assistance in establishing this model with the Republic of Ireland.

Meanwhile, the West Cork vaccination centre has moved to a new location at Newtown, Bantry (P75 H304).

John O’Regan Vaccinator and and Sally Back Vaccinator Taking delivery of the first Covid-19 mobile vaccination unit this winter, are the Cork Kerry Community Health West Cork vaccination team. Photography By Gerard McCarthy 087 8537228

The public can continue to make their appointments for Covid-19 boosters or initial vaccination at online or by ringing HSELive on 1800 700 700.

“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,” Ms Hayes said.