Latest information on over 70s Vaccination Plan

General Points:

🔵Approximately 490,000 people aged over 70 – and almost all have a GP

🟣The first group to be vaccinated are those aged 85 and above – approximately 72,000

🟠The programme will then move on to other ages as follows: 80-84, 75-79, 70-74

🟡The vaccines to be administered are Pfizer (can be stored for 5 days in a fridge) and Moderna (can be stored for 30 days in a fridge) – these are also known as mRNA vaccines.
It will NOT be the case where two different types of vaccines are delivered to GPs or where they can order a particular type of vaccine and patients will in all cases get the two doses of the one type of vaccine – either Pfizer or Moderna There are 1373 GMS GP practices in the State.

🔸The Programme🔸
The programme will begin on the week of February 15th. It will ramp up week by week after that based on supply lines of vaccines GP practices with the greatest number of patients in the 85+ category will be the focus in week one and with others coming on board in the following weeks.

🔸GP Vaccination in Practices🔸
All practices with over 200 patients over 70 will receive deliveries through cold chain and operate the programme within their own GP premises.

🔸GP Led Vaccination Centres🔸
About 400 GP practices have less than 200 over 70s each – and many of these are in URBAN areas These will be facilitated in one of two ways:
A GP run vaccination clinic at an agreed location (Dublin, Cork and Galway being identified) A ‘buddy up’ system where GPs and their patients can attend another GP practice for vaccines to be administered (by the patient’s own GP and team)

🔸HOW THIS WILL WORK?🔸
FOR EXAMPLE A VACCINATION CENTRE:
🟡One vaccination centre will be in DCU where 121 GP practices in Dublin will come together to vaccinate their over 70s, starting with the 85+ age group for clinic 1
Each GP practice will register, book in and administer to their own patients with managed rosters
The clinics will operate at weekends and will remain in place while the two dose schedule is administered (after 28 days)

🔸HOW WILL THIS WORK?🔸
🔸FOR EXAMPLE A BUDDY UP SYSTEM:🔸
There are a small number of practices outside of the urban centres where there is a small number of patients over 70 so these GPs will ‘buddy up’ with a larger GP practice near them.
In effect they will be using the building of the larger GP practice.
Administration of the vaccine will be done by the patient’s own GP/nurse team.
The IMO will assist in this buddying up system.

🔸PLANNING🔸
GP practices are now working through their patient lists in order to identify the required vaccines on any given day/week, schedule appointments and work through dose 1 and dose 2 schedules (28 days apart).
In ALL CASES and irrespective of pathway GPs will:
• Identify the number of patients in each of the age cohorts and complete the ordering process.
• Register and consent those patients through individual practice management systems.
• Invite patients for vaccination at relevant venue (own practice, vaccine clinic, other practice setting).
• Once your order is confirmed you will be advised of a guaranteed delivery date for your practice which will give you time to schedule clinics.
• Consumables (syringes, needles and vaccine cards) will be delivered the day before your vaccine delivery.
• The vaccine delivery will include vaccine vials and saline.
• The number of Pfizer vaccines delivered are based on 6 doses per vial as licenced It is critical that all vaccines are used appropriately so GPs are asked to have a standby list (in line with age cohort schedule).
• As the programme rolls out GPs will have a delivery every two weeks on the scheduled date • Submission of data and payment mechanisms will be through your own GP management system in line with the agreed provisions.