Only a fraction of active age group have received first vaccine

The speed of the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine locally has come under the spotlight with the news that only a small fraction of the members of one of Westmeath’s largest active age groups have received their first dose.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner following the announcement by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin that fully vaccinated people can meet indoors without masks, the manager of the 1428 Club in Mullingar, Debbie Daly, said that the news will have little effect on the lives of their 200-plus members.

Ms Daly estimated that at the time of writing only 20 per cent, at most, of 1428 Club members have received their first dose, while she knows of only two who have had their second dose and are fully vaccinated.

“Quite a few are still waiting for appointments, while quite a few were promised their first dose three weeks ago and they are still waiting. They are still very worried and are staying in.

“Some had been given a call and told they would be vaccinated and they are still waiting. I would say out of our members, not even 20 per cent are vaccinated yet. It is a very low number that has been vaccinated so far.

“I was talking to one man who has underlying issues, he was promised his vaccination three weeks ago and he is still waiting for his first dose. I don’t know why things are so slow. It just seems very slow,” she said.

While club members have shown admirable resilience, Ms Daly says that 13 months of restrictions are having an effect on many older people’s mental and physical health.

“They are missing social time with peers, friends, relatives, families. Yes they are resilient, and hats off to them, they have been amazing. They have followed every rule that they have had to follow. They have taken everything that has been thrown at them and still they are nearly the last ones that are going to get any benefit from being locked in for any amount of time.

“I had a lady who I visited yesterday with a care package who said: ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t know what day of the week it is. I just find myself sitting here crying some days.’.

“We are hearing all these stories and I do not know when things open up what the long-term effects are going to be. Like that we are talking about older people and what sort of an effect is that going to have on the remainder of their years. I already see with some people when I am doing deliveries as we said earlier they are resilient but they are also placid and have taken everything that has been thrown at them.

“They are following every rule and every guideline. I mean sometimes overly. But I really worry about the long-term effects, if they have a long term, because you can see the deterioration in some of them.

“I also see a deterioration in their mobility and people who would have been mobile and quite active are now taking about having pains, but it is from not being able to move around,” Ms Daly said.

HSE statement

When contacted by the Westmeath Examiner, the HSE issued this statement:

The Vaccination programme continues to ramp up as supply increases. Vaccination of people aged over 70 continues with those aged 75-79 being reached with first doses. The target is for everyone over 70 who can be vaccinated, to be fully vaccinated by mid-May based on supply projections. Vaccines to persons over 70 are currently being administered by the person’s own GP. Their GP will contact the person directly to inform them of their date of vaccination.