Residents and staff at Tinnpark Nursing Home have this morning become the first Kilkenny locals to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
It comes as the first batch of the jab has also just been delivered to the local St Luke’s Hospital.
Ann Walpole is the Director of nursing at Tinnypark. She says there’s scenes of joy at the nursing home this morning;
“It’s absolutely fantastic” she told KCLR News. “All the residents and staff are playing an absolute blinder. I’m so proud of them and we’re so grateful.”
108 of the shot were delivered there yesterday, and Ann says the vast majority will be administered today. The second dose of the vaccine will also be completed by the end of the month;
“We’re going to get through as many as possible today but the team will be here again tomorrow to finish off those doses, and then the second dose will be on the 28th January” Ann explains.
Meanwhile, 250 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to St Luke’s, the general hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny, with future deliveries expected as early as next week.
It comes as a record number of Covid-19 patients are being treated in Irish hospitals for the second day in a row.
1,022 people are on wards with the HSE CEO saying the country has hit a sad milestone.
As of 8pm last night, there are 26 patients with the virus in St Luke’s, with 5 of those in critical care.
