'Serious public disquiet' about covid-19 vaccine roll-out in Inishowen

The exclusion of residents in St Columbcille Village in Clonmany from the initial roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination in Inishowen is causing “serious public quiet” across the peninsula.

Speaking to Donegal Live , Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said he had asked his party's Health spokesperson, David Cullinane TD, to raise the matter with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly (Fianna Fáil).

Deputy Mac Lochlainn said: “My party colleague, Councillor Albert Doherty, who is a member of the HSE's Regional Health Forum, has raised this issue repeatedly over Christmas and New Year and there was hope there would be a resolution.

“Aware it is causing serious public disquiet in Inishowen, I subsequently took the exclusion of the residents of St Columbcille Village from the initial roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination in Inishowen, to the Senior Regional Management of the HSE. I was told they were being hampered by national guidelines, which state a facility has to be a 'nursing home'.

“I have subsequently escalated the issue to the Chief Clinical Officer Colm Henry. I made the fact there is serious public disquiet clear, particularly regarding the around the residents in the high dependency unit, which is providing care 24/7, to people ranging from their 70s to their 90s. The HSE is now going to re-examine the issue.

“I told Mr Henry, that while St Columbcille Village might not technically be a nursing unit, the intent of the vaccine roll-out is to protect the very vulnerable who in 24-hour care and who are of that age category. The patients in St Columbcille Village high dependency unit are to all intents and purposes in that category. They need to be protected first,” said Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.

Mr Mac Lochlainn said he had also asked Sinn Féin Health spokesperson to escalate the issue with the Minister and the senior vaccination team, should there be no resolution.

Mr Mac Lochlainn concluded: “I feel so strongly about this issue. St Columbcille Village is not technically a nursing home but to all intents and purposes it is providing that sort of care.”