UPMC and UHW Healthcare Workers Receive COVID-19 Vaccinations in UPMC Whitfield Today

3 February 2021 – UPMC is delighted to announce that as of today, Thursday, 7 January, 2021, we have taken a huge step in the fight against COVID-19. This morning saw delivery of the Pfizer vaccine to UPMC Whitfield Hospital and already we have begun a programme to vaccinate a mixture of UPMC and University Hospital Waterford (UHW) healthcare workers who care for patients across the South East of Ireland.

David Beirne, country manager, UPMC, said, “Today is an important step in combatting COVID-19. I am delighted to inform our staff, our patients, and the wider communities we serve that we have taken delivery of the Pfizer vaccine and have begun to distribute them to frontline workers from UPMC Whitfield Hospital and UHW, with whom we have worked closely in partnership throughout the pandemic to care for patients across the South East.”

Trish Lane, general manager, UPMC Whitfield Hospital commented, “The delivery arrived today from Dublin, and through six dedicated UPMC vaccinators, we have already begun to administer it to frontline workers across the Hospital in a dedicated section of UPMC Whitfield Hospital. Catherine Kelly, director of pharmacy in UPMC Whitfield Hospital with a responsibility of preparing the vaccine was the first to receive the vaccine today, followed closely by six of her colleagues who will form part of a team in the hospital dedicated to vaccinating against COVID 19.”

Beirne concluded, “I am in awe of our employees for the work they have carried out throughout the pandemic. They have worked tirelessly on the frontline, taking care of our communities, and working so closely in partnership with the HSE across all hospital groups to provide services to patients who were in vital need of them. I would like to thank them for their efforts thus far for providing such a magnificent service to the communities across the South East as we reached such a significant milestone today.”