RGDATA highlights why essential retail workers need early Covid-19 vaccinations
RGDATA has received a reply to its letter to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly regarding early vaccinations for essential retail and food logistics workers (as covered in last week’s Click). “Unfortunately, It does not make any commitments regarding moving this important group of frontline workers up the table for an earlier vaccine” said RGDATA’s Tara Buckley.
Director General Tara Buckley appeared on national and local media this week to highlight the need for essential retail and food logistics workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Buckley was interviewed on radio and by online and national print media about RGDATA highlighting how independent retailers and their staff are dealing with increasingly antagonistic anti-maskers and why frontline retail and food logistics workers should be next in line for the Covid 19 vaccine after the most vulnerable and frontline health workers
Response
However, in its response, the Department wrote that “The aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to ensure, over time, that vaccine will become available to vaccinate all of those for whom the vaccine is indicated. Given that there will be initially limited vaccines available, it will take some time for all to receive those vaccines and that has necessitated an allocation strategy to ensure that those most at risk of
death and serious illness receive the vaccine first.
“The priority is to first vaccinate and protect directly the most vulnerable amongst us, that
is,those most likely to have a poor outcome if they contract the virus. The priority is to
directly use vaccines to save lives and reduce serious illness, hence the focus on the over 65
year old cohort in long term residential care facilities, and healthcare workers in frontline
services often caring for the most vulnerable.”
Level 5 extended
The current Level 5 restrictions are set to be extended until at least March 5th by the Cabinet at its meeting today 25th January. The new measures include checkpoints 5km from Border, egal requirement to self-isolate after travel abroad, mandatory quarantine for arrivals without negative test increased fines for non-compliance.
