Sinn Fein spokesperson on Addiction, Recovery and Wellbeing Thomas Gould TD has called on NPHET to reconvene the Vulnerable Groups Subgroup, to ensure efficient delivery of vaccines to those in active addiction and other vulnerable groups.
The NPHET Vulnerable Groups Subgroup disbanded on 24th June 2020.
Teachta Gould said:
“It is an absolute disgrace that this group was disbanded in the first place. There are thousands of people across this state who would be classified as vulnerable and they need to know that they are being considered.
“The disbanding of this group highlights the government attitude to the most vulnerable in our society.
“The Minister for State has acknowledged the difficulties in reaching those in active addiction or rough sleeping in the vaccine rollout. A strategic plan must be developed to ensure that everybody who wants it will have access to a vaccine.
“Now is the time to plan for mass vaccination of the population. The government’s consistent refusal to address an issue until it becomes a problem has been a massive barrier in combatting this pandemic. The perfect example being a refusal to implement hotel quarantine wasn’t introduced until after variants had been found here.
“It is time now for this group to be re-established and given the tasks of ensuring all of those vulnerable and at risk of missing the Covid-19 vaccine are reached, that strategic plans are in place before this is a problem, and that vulnerable people do not continue to be forgotten by this government.”
