The team at the Tralee public vaccination centre are currently welcoming people from the 65-69 age-group for vaccinations, with lead co-ordinator Máire Flynn explaining that everyone comes in with a smile and is met with a smile from the enthusiastic staff:  “We’re  smiling welcoming them, and they’re smiling coming in.”

Máire has been seconded to the vaccination centre from her role as Director of Nursing at Killarney Community Hospital and notes how since they initiated the service, those who have arrived  “go out the door smiling and happy, and glad to have had their vaccine, with their card in their hand.”  She adds that they are  “delighted for all the people to get that opportunity and we’ll work on for as long as we need to do so to make sure everyone in the county is vaccinated.”

The public vaccination centre is located at Tralee Sports Academy, on the ground of Munster Technological University (MTU). It is one of two vaccination centres in Co Kerry, with the other located at Killarney Sports and Leisure. The HSE is very grateful to both MTU and Kerry County Council for their support in relation to these venues. Vaccination centres across Cork and Kerry  have been established as a joint project between the South/South West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.

Both centres began vaccinating people from the 65-69 age-group last week and are currently working seven days a week. Both centres previously vaccinated people from vaccine allocation group 4 (people with an underlying condition putting them at severe risk).