Call for additional vaccination centre in Mayo

Given its geographical size, Mayo could benefit from having one if not two more Covid-19 vaccination centres, a county council member has claimed.

Mayo is served by one vaccination centre in Breaffy House Resort, Castlebar, but Councillor Michael Loftus (Fianna Fáil) said an additional one could be located in Ballina, in north Mayo, and perhaps there could be one in Belmullet too, in the north-west of the county.

Speaking at the April monthly meeting of Ballina Municipal District, Councillor Loftus said it is difficult for some elderly people to travel to Castlebar for vaccination and there were plenty of facilities locally that could be used, such as Ballina Community Sports Centre or the Ballina Stephenites GAA Club complex.

“We should put forward a request to the HSE to look for that,” stated Councillor Loftus, who was supported in his proposal by Councillor Annie May Reape (Fianna Fáil) and Councillor John O'Hara (Fine Gael), who both argued that a second centre in Mayo would expedite the vaccination programme.

However, the Ballina MD cathaoirleach, Councillor Seamus Weir, said that while he understood the point being made, he thought things were going fine as they were.