The Department of Health this week published the phased plan for NI’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.
As has been repeatedly emphasised, the rate of progress will be dependent on the availability of vaccines, supplied as part of UK-wide arrangements.
The deployment plans involve a mixture of delivery models which include:
- large fixed regional vaccination sites run by HSC Trusts,
- mobile Trust teams to visit care homes,
- Primary Care based model.
The vaccines are received via Public Health England before being stored in a distribution hub. From there, the vaccine is delivered, as required, to Trust pharmacy sites or a GP practice. It is also intended that community pharmacy will be involved as the programme continues to be rolled out, subject to the availability of sufficient supplies of a suitable vaccine.
The implementation of the vaccination programme will continue to closely follow the prioritisation list recommended by JCVI.
Phase 1 - till February
- Older adults resident in a care home and care home workers (12k residents and 16K staff)
- All those 80 years of age and over (<72K) and health & social care (70K) and domiciliary care workers (<25K)
Phase 2 - February 2021
3. All those 75 years of age not already vaccinated (<62K)
4. All those 70 years of age not already vaccinated (<81K) and extremely clinically vulnerable (95K)
5. All those 65 years of age not already vaccinated (<90K)
6. All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
Phase 3 - Spring 2021
7. All those 60+ years of age not already vaccinated (<106K)
8. All those 55+ years of age not already vaccinated (<125K)
9. All those 50+ years of age not already vaccinated (<135K)
Phase 4 - Summer 2021
Rest of the population not already vaccinated (to a maximum of 400K)
