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Are there enough vaccinators for the peak weeks ahead? As the campaign steps up, pharmacists have yet to administer a single dose
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Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, receives a dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in a pharmacy in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Photograph: Adrian Wyld/CP/Bloomberg
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Last week, images circulated internationally of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at a pharmacy in Ottawa, sleeve rolled up, vaccine syringe stuck in his tattooed arm.
Bodies representing Dentists, Opticians and Physiotherapists say the vast majority of their members have not received appointments for vaccinations despite pledges that all healthcare workers would be vaccinated by the end of next week.
The groups say they have been told the delay is due to problems with the online vaccination registration portal but the HSE says there are no issues with the system.
The Irish Dental Association says an estimated 85% of its members in private practice have not yet received an appointment to be vaccinated.
Caroline Robbins, who is on the IDA s GP Committee, said the association has been inundated with calls from members who have had no communications from the HSE despite registering for vaccines a number of weeks ago.
Unacceptable delays : Significant increase in eye care waiting lists across Ireland
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Eye care waiting lists have increased significantly to more than 53,400 at the end of 2020, as optometrists have called for a greater role in public eye care.
National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures to December 2020 show that almost 45,500 people were on the outpatient eye care waiting list, accelerating an upwards trend from 41,200 at the end of 2019 and 40,600 at the end of 2018.
Almost 23,700 were waiting more than a year and almost 15,500 more than 18 months, significantly up from 17,300 and 12,000 respectively at the end of 2019. Furthermore, more than 7,900 people were awaiting inpatient eye procedures, up from 7,700 at the end of 2019.