Vaccinations a ‘game-changer’ for Westport nursing home

WELCOME RELIEF Nellie Noonan, Aughagower, receiving her Covid-19 vaccine in the MacBride Home in Westport last week.

Áine Ryan

VACCINATION against Covid-19 is ‘the only game in town’, and the owner of the Pilgrim’s Rest Nursing Home in Westport will be among the first of the staff to get the jab today (Tuesday).
For Noel Marley, this is the essential game-changer, as he finalised the paperwork yesterday for the residents of the nursing home who are about receive the life-saving vaccination from a team of HSE experts.
“All the residents who can and have chosen to be vaccinated will as well as many of our staff. We are glad we have reached this point after so many of months of dealing with this virus. The fact that we tested staff every fortnight reassured everyone – staff, residents and their families – but it is great to be at this important stage now,” Noel Marley told The Mayo News.
“I do hope that the roll-out is expedited across the country though, and that GPs and other medics are brought on-board to vaccinate the over 80s and vulnerable members of communities. Let’s get as many people vaccinated as possible,” he said.  
He cited the efficiency of vaccination campaigns in Israel and Egypt and said Government needed to ‘up the ante’ and extend the vaccination times to seven days a week.
“As a country we need to grab the urgency of this. Let’s get the vaccination programme moving efficiently, particularly once supplies increase. It is the only answer to this virus,” he said.  
The rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine in privately owned and voluntary nursing homes began on Thursday morning, January 7.