EXCLUSIVE: vaccine slots for the clinically vulnerable in NI 'may have been wasted'

A woman who has been shielding since the start of the pandemic says she is concerned precious vaccine slots may have gone to waste last weekend, due to issues with shielding letters.

Online booking slots for the clinically extremely vulnerable went live last Friday, (February, 12) with telephone booking lines opening a few days later.

It meant those 'high risk' patients who had not yet received a Covid-19 vaccine from their GP, could book into vaccination sites.

They were required to produce their shielding letter as evidence on arrival.

But mum of two Emmy Kelly who runs support group Shield US NI told Downtown & Cool FM many people cannot find their shielding letter:

"A lot of people went on so excited to book their vaccine slot and then went 'I can't do this I haven't got my letter," she said.

"Our support group just went mad with people saying 'what do I do, how do I do this, is anybody in the same boat?

"We were really surprised to find so many people are in that position so fear it may delay people getting the vaccine, there were slots available last weekend.

On Friday, Patricia Donnelly who leads the vaccination programme for Northern Ireland urged people to locate their shielding letter and said advice would follow for anyone who had lost them.

The Department of Health's website says Northern Ireland’s vaccination figures were 'impacted by the weather at the weekend but are expected to pick up again in the coming days.'

Emmy said many people are desperate to get proof but do not wish to overwhelm GPs:

"I know there are people right now trying to find out how to get their letter, checking their post every day hoping it's come in.

"Not everybody's got their letter and some people don't keep their letters.

"They read it and go 'right I don't need this anymore' and get rid of it, not realising they were going to need it for their vaccine.

Meanwhile, Downtown Cool FM can exclusively reveal that those who are shielding in Northern Ireland are advised to continue doing so, even after the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Fears were sparked recently when health chiefs in England announced they were advising an extra 1.7 million people to shield.

The letter from Health Secretary Matt Hancock seen by DT Cool FM, also urges them to continue protecting themselves including after they've been vaccinated.

Emmy said: "A lot of people are really concerned... to hear that England are advising that you continue shielding even if you're not immunocompromised, this is anybody that is clinically extremely vulnerable, who has had both doses of their vaccine.

"And then the JCVI has got a cocooning strategy for immunosuppressed people, it's causing a lot of fear."

In a statement a Department of Health spokesperson said:

"People who are shielding, and have received their second dose of the vaccine should continue to follow the shielding advice until further notice.

"In Northern Ireland, the Shielded Persons List (SPL) was constructed by identifying people who had conditions that placed them at risk of severe illness from Covid-19.

"In addition to this, there has been scope to add individual patients where their attending clinicians (both GPs and hospital consultants) have assessed them as extremely vulnerable by virtue of a range of factors and underlying conditions.

"Further, throughout the pandemic, anyone with concerns about their own circumstances has been able discuss these with their GP or hospital Clinician and, where appropriate, have been added to CEV list.

"CEV people in Northern Ireland are in the process of being offered the vaccine.

"It is anticipated that the majority of the group will have received their first dose of vaccine by the end of February.

"23% of CEV people have now received a vaccine.

"People who are considered vulnerable to Covid-19 – who will likely make up the majority of people identified by this exercise in England - are due to be called for vaccination shortly in Northern Ireland."

You can see help and support on the Shield Us website

And links to access services can be found here