First vaccines to be administered from Carndonagh Vaccination Centre this week

On Wednesday (30 June) the first vaccines will be administered in the vaccination centre based in Carndonagh Community School by staff from Saolta University Health Care Group and Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1, as part of a phased opening of the centre.

Paul Hooton, Saolta Executive Lead for the rollout of the vaccination programme in the West and North West said, “We are delighted to be in a position to open a satellite vaccination centre on the Inishowen Peninsula to support the delivery of the vaccination programme and to supplement the vaccination work being carried out by our staff in the LYIT vaccination centre, by GPs and now also by pharmacies.

“The Carndonagh vaccination centre will administer vaccines in line with the national COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy which sets out a priority list of groups for vaccination. We expect that from next week the centre will operate for one or two days per week, depending on the number of people who have self-registered for a vaccine online and depending on vaccine supply.

“The centre will be managed by staff from the LYIT vaccination centre who will travel to Carndonagh for the vaccine clinics. We look forward to vaccinating all those eligible to receive the vaccine as quickly as possible. Our priorities are safety and working to protect people as quickly as we can, subject to vaccine supply.”

Cara O’Neill, CHO 1 Vaccination Lead and Head of Health and Wellbeing said the opening of the vaccination centre in Carndonagh was another step forward in the battle against COVID-19. “We welcome the opening of the Carndonagh Vaccination Centre in partnership with Saolta which will greatly improve access to the vaccine for people living in Inishowen. I would encourage everyone in the eligible age cohorts to get the vaccine.”