A LEAD medic with the Western Trust has called on the people of Fermanagh to get their Covid-19 booster vaccination jabs to help protect the health service as the numbers doing so have fallen dramatically compared to before Christmas.

Garret Martin, Western Trust Vaccination Programme Lead, echoed health chiefs’ calls for the public to get their booster jabs to help fight against the current Omicron variant wave of the coronavirus, so as to help alleviate pressures on an already strained health service.

The number of hospital admissions across Northern Ireland has started to trend upwards again.

In the run-up to Christmas, the call for people to get their Covid-19 boosters was well received in Fermanagh.

It was a regular sight to see people queuing outside the Mass Vaccination Centre at the Lakeland Forum for their jab, with some waiting times topping two hours.

However, it has been a contrasting picture since the centre reopened on December 29, with the clinic running well below its capacity, now seeing only approximately 250 people per day availing of the opportunity to get a booster jab.

“The attendance hasn’t been as many as we were certainly planning for,” said Mr. Martin, who is taking the lead on the centres.

“The average has been about 250, or close to 1,000 people just up to today – and that [total] was on five days’ opening. So on average, 250 a day. We certainly could have done a lot more than that.”

Mr. Martin said there certainly would be no long waiting times for people this time around, and while he acknowledges the impact the spread of Omicron is having on people being able to get their vaccines, there are still plenty out there who are eligible.

“We still believe that there are lots of people out there who are due their booster jab who we really would be encouraging to come and get their booster,” he added.

‘Still a threat’

“There is still a threat to particularly clinically vulnerable people, particularly older people; obviously then [also for] people who are unvaccinated or who haven’t had their booster or are due their booster jab.

“[Omicron] can still have a significant impact on the health service and put it under significant pressure, and that’s something that we want to try and avoid where possible.

“This is about protecting not just yourself, but the community and the health service, because it’s under extreme pressure, I can assure you,” he added.

With the Lakeland Forum due to close for a week as the centre moves to Omagh Leisure Centre from January 10 as part of a rotation between the two venues, Mr. Martin called on the public to think of the “wider responsibility” around getting a vaccine.

“Every vaccine counts, in terms of making an impact. That really can make an impact and help us get over this sooner rather than later.

“The sooner we can get over this hump and protect people and move on, it’s better for everybody in the medium- and longer-term,” he added.

As of January 5 in the Western Trust region, a total of 301,177 vaccinations were administered, comprising 142,475 as first doses; 127,861 as second doses; and 29,202 as booster shots.