Health Minister confirms AIT International Arena as vaccine centre site

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has this afternoon (Monday) confirmed that Athlone IT's International Athletics Arena will be used as a centre for the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations to the general population.

The planned use of the local Institute as a vaccine hub was first reported in the Westmeath Independent last week.

It's now been confirmed by the Minister as he issued the locations of 37 vaccination centres which are being established nationally.

In addition to Athlone, there will be other vaccine centres in the Midlands at: The Bloomfield House Hotel (Mullingar); The Abbey Hotel (Roscommon); the Faithful Fields GAA Centre (Kilcormac, Offaly); and Longford Slashers GAA club (Longford town).

The Department of Health said that, while vaccines are currently being administered in healthcare settings and by GPs, many people will be offered their vaccination in these new centres, having self-registered online.

It added that all of the vaccination centres would vary in size and operating hours, and that they had been selected based on population density, ease of access, transport and parking.

"I would like to thank the HSE for their ongoing work in developing these vaccination centres across the country," said the Minister in a press statement.

"These centres will be ready well in advance of vaccine supply when they will be used as part of our programme. People can expect to see these vaccination centres ready and waiting in their county.

"We have always said the vaccination programme would only be limited by the availability and reliability of supply in these early stages of the programme.

"In the coming months supply will increase substantially and we will see these centres operating to full capacity and administering vaccines to the general population, following the Government priority list."