Brendan Smith Questions Move to Age-Based Vaccine Priority
Brendan Smith spoke about changes to the vaccination allocation strategy and raised concerns over a new age-based approach. He pressed for explanations and sought prioritisation for frontline workers who expected earlier vaccination.
Summary of the remarks
Brendan Smith emphasised that a swift, effective and fair vaccination programme is essential to manage the pandemic and highlighted the positive, transformative effect the vaccine has had on people over 80 and frontline healthcare workers.
Concerns for frontline workers
He said the recent change to an age-based approach is causing concern among many frontline personnel and their representative organisations. He noted representations made on behalf of Gardaí, teachers, special needs assistants and carers, who had expected prioritisation based on the nature of their work and crowded settings.
Evidence on vaccine impact cited by the speaker
Smith pointed to the dramatic reduction in infection rates in groups who have already received the vaccine as clear proof of the vaccines' value and efficacy, and said this underlines the importance of rolling out the programme quickly to all entitled persons.
NIAC rationale and age as a predictor
He asked the minister to outline why the Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended the change, noting that NIAC has shown age is the single biggest predictor of COVID-19 mortality. The minister replied that NIAC and NEFET advised government that prioritising by age minimises harm and saves lives most quickly.
Appeal for clarity and accountability
Smith appealed to the minister to fully explain the strategy change to representative organisations and to answer legitimate cases for prioritisation raised over the previous 24-36 hours, so those frontline workers understand why the approach is now seen as fairer and more effective.
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As we all know a swift, effective and fair vaccination programme is essential to deal with the pandemic which unfortunately has been with us for more than 12 months and as we all know it continues to cause untold hardship in so many ways right throughout this country and indeed throughout the world. I have to say that speaking to people aged over 80 and other frontline healthcare workers who have had the vaccine, it has been transformative and it is heartening to speak to older people to see again the confidence that they have regained in themselves and hoping to get out and get back to a more normal type of life. We are all very glad to know of the very effective results of vaccines and that is clearly demonstrated by the dramatic reduction in infection rates in those groups who have had the vaccine. So it is clear proof of the value and the efficacy and the absolute importance of getting the programme rolled out as soon as possible to all persons who are entitled to the vaccine. The recent changes announced by Government on Tuesday night to the vaccination allocation strategy is causing concern to many personnel providing frontline services. On different occasions in the Dáil and through representation to Minister Donnelly, I had raised the need to prioritise certain frontline workers within the vaccine programme. In those instances I had made representation on behalf of Gardaí, teachers, special needs assistants and also carers. The change to an age-based approach must be fully explained to the representative organisations of these frontline workers and many of those people whom I have spoken over the last 24, 36 hours, they put forward very legitimate cases for prioritisation and they need answers. Because those personnel had expectations of getting the vaccine based on their prioritisation pertaining to their work being essential and often times being based in crowded settings. So Minister, I would appeal to you to outline why the change in strategy, I know it came from the Immunisation Advisory Committee, but it needs to be clearly outlined why this is seen to be a more effective approach and a fairer approach. And one that will deal with the concerns of the community at large. Thank you, Alaskan Kaurla. Minister, you have 40 seconds. Thank you, Alaskan Kaurla. And can I thank the Deputy for his question and his statement. The answer is that NIAC looked very carefully at all of the evidence to date, including new information which they didn't have when they came up with the original provisional prioritisation. And as the Deputy will be aware, for example, NIAC have shown that if you compare the risk of death from COVID between someone between the ages of 20 and 35 and someone 60 to 64, the 60 to 64 year old is 70 times, actually more than 70 times more likely to die from COVID. Age is the single biggest predictor and the prioritisation from NIAC and NEFET has come to government on the basis that this is how we minimise the damage of COVID in the quickest time possible, saving as many lives as possible and allowing us to open up the country as quickly as possible.
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