A Donegal doctor and nurse have come out of retirement to administer Covid 19 vaccines in their community.
Dr Eamon Stack and his wife Mary, who is a practice nurse, are helping the roll-put of vaccines in Sligo.
Dr. Eamon Stack was a doctor for 36 years in Ballyshannon. He retired last year after serving the community since 1985.
His wife Mary Stack, who worked with her husband as a practice nurse, also retired last year.
However, the couple both came out of retirement to join the effort at Knocknarea Arena, Sligo IT.
Dr. Stack said he decided to help out with the vaccination programme, initially in nursing homes.
He has great faith in the vaccines and what they will mean for the population.
“The vaccines work and they are going to be very effective in reducing mortality and hospitalisations and getting us back to normal,” said Dr. Stack.
“It’s been a very long year for everyone and hopefully when we get the vaccination programme in full, the results seem very good coming out of Israel and the UK, we might get back to some sort of normality towards the end of the year,” he said.
After completing the vaccination of those in nursing homes, he is now carrying out vaccinations at Sligo IT. “I’ll be here until it gets up and running,” said Dr.Stack.
He stressed how important the vaccine was and encouraged anyone who is offered it to take up the offer. “Everyone should have the vaccine. Vaccines are great and prevent disease. Nobody should refuse it,” Dr Stack concluded.
As of February 26th a total of 285,780 first doses vaccines have been administered and 140,290 second dose vaccines have been administered.
In the North West Vaccination centres are being established at the Knocknarea Arena at Sligo IT, the New Primary Care Centre in Carrick on Shannon and at Letterkenny IT in Donegal.