Clon vaccine centre targets 900 jabs a day

THE vaccination centre at the Ahamilla GAA complex in Clonakilty is set to open within the next fortnight with a target of vaccinating 900 people a day.

The nine-bay Ahamilla complex, which The Southern Star was shown this week, will alternate as the West Cork vaccine hub, with the Primary Care Centre in Bantry.

It can’t come soon enough for several West Cork GPs who have been left frustrated by the low supply of vaccines they are receiving.

The Millbrook Medical Practice in Bandon said they shared the ‘anxiety and frustration’ of many of their patients caused by the disappointingly slow rollout of vaccinations at their clinic to date.

‘This is entirely due to the very low number of vaccines supplied to us by the HSE. We have had multiple contacts with the HSE and feel that we have been disproportionately affected by the vaccine shortage,’ they said in a social media post. It was a similar story at the Skibbereen Medical Centre, which said it was under-supplied on two recent deliveries.

Dr Julie O’Mahony said that the clinic was between 80 to 100 doses short which meant it had to change its vaccine procedures.

‘We had to prioritise patients who had received their first dose already, to give them the second dose.

‘We had been doing very well up to then, but had to cancel patients. We did better than some practices, but it’s heartbreaking having to tell patients that we have to reschedule their appointments for another two weeks,’ said Dr O’Mahony.

There were also issues at Clonakilty Medical Centre, which was supposed to receive 210 vaccines in one delivery, but only received 85.

Cork South West Independent TD Michael Collins said there were also issues in Bantry, where one doctor only received 40% of the promised vaccines. ‘There seems to be an over-amount of vaccines in Dublin, as we can see from the Beacon Hospital episode, whereas down here they are getting a very reduced number, compared to what they are supposed to get.’

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan said that these delays are worthy of investigation.

‘While there is no evidence West Cork has fallen behind the rest of the country in terms of the rollout, these concerns show us government has a job of work in reassuring everyone vaccine distribution is quickly gathering pace and charging ahead.’