That’s what I thought too. We were definitely fooled by his clipped delivery and bald scientists head. He’s very smug, confident, dopey and a spoofer. A lethal combination.
The US haven’t even approved AZ yet and probably won’t need to either. Do they have supply of this somewhere?
Spoofing, lying, shifting blame exclusively to Astra Zeneca, that superior tone where he tries to talk down to the interviewer, refusing to answer direct questions, speaking in generalities, taking on the persona of a commentator.
He said he’s been speaking to the company and then Rachael English asked him if he received commitments from them and who he spoke to. He said he spoke to the person they’ve assigned as their Irish contact and he didn’t receive any commitments but “Astra Zeneca understand that people are tired and frustrated, and they’re doing all they can. Conversations are being had in the company.”
He refused to accept that, apart from Astra Zeneca, there are issues with the roll out and HSE performance. He said there are some learnings but we also need to focus on the positives. He said 99% of the target cohort had been vaccinated in the last 3 weeks. Of course, the targets can all but be met if they keep reducing them to the pitiful levels they now sit at.
That doesn’t read too badly actually but he was just winging it over the piece. You know he’s spoofing when he starts his reply to a direct question with “So…”. He then pauses briefly as his brain scrambles, before unleashing a load of waffle.
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Can someone throw up the egg head interview from this morning? Cc @Copper_pipe
I’ll be going for a run shortly and I’ll use that irritation to run an extra mile or two.
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Thank Christ
You will in your hole.
I listened to that and I didn’t get the same impression at all. I think you’re being completely unreasonable. I thought all his explanations were plausible and you’re completely wrong on refusing to accept there were issues, he accepted there were some issues with the HSE rollout but that overall it was good. Our vaccination rate compared to other EU countries is good so that makes sense to me.
What did you actually want to hear?
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Last month NIAC had recommended that while AstraZeneca could be used in older age groups where possible the Pfizer or Moderna should be used. The change in advice will not be considered by Department ofHealth.
I am assuming this is a typo. But you never know.
Get the AZ out to the over 70s and don’t be wasting it on pictures of health like @farmerinthecity.
All over 70s with at least one dose by mid-April is not good enough.
I’d just stick with the Pfizer/Moderna one for over 70s - more reliable supplies and two doses in 4 weeks should have them fully vaccinated in no time.
this is exactly why they can lower the target rate and then be glad they meet it. Why should we be happy that we are ok compared to other countries? Why cant we come out and say we are far better then every other country, or instead of comparing, why not just look at how we are doing within our own expectations? We set the bar so low and then expect to be happy when we meet low expectations. we keep blaming a supply issue, but supply issues arent causing us to have GPs missing their deliveries, Mondays and weekends being a complete write off in terms of getting vaccinations out, and the actual accounting of the vaccines is all over the place. We seem to have at least a weeks worth of vaccine in storage, and arguably more, so why cant we just get out as much as we can as quick as we can.
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He has a lovely way of opening replies to questions with ‘I think its important for people to know…’
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No spoofing, lying, or shifting blame exclusively to Astra Zeneca, an absence of that superior tone where he tries to talk down to the interviewer, answering direct questions without resorting to generalities, taking responsibility rather than taking on the persona of a commentator.
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All European countries are getting pretty much the same amount of vaccines on a per capita basis. Our supply is coming under the EU contract and every other EU country is getting the same.
That’s why comparing with EU countries make sense, everyone is getting the same supply so the only measure to judge on is the actual rate of giving it out. Of 27 highly developed countries we are one of the better performers on that.
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I listened to the same interview and I’m not a defender of Donnelly usually but you’re being entirely unreasonable. Maybe you’re in a tetchy mood?
He didn’t speak down to anyone, that’s just your own confirmation bias talking.
Interviewers often ask questions that interviewees don’t have answers to. Like this morning he was pushed for specific dates etc which he didn’t have from the company. What do you want him to do there?
On blaming AZ, in all honesty what do you want him to do? The company has failed to meet its production aims and so is failing with deliveries. It’s a clear and simple reason for delay. The vaccines aren’t there to our into people because they haven’t arrived. What do you want him to vaccinate people with, his mickey?
but again the point being, are we happy just doing enough to be good compared to others, or do they want to actually do more, raise the bar and increase targets. Why cant we aim to be the best of the countries if we all have the same per capita ratio, then why shouldnt we be up there at the top of the list, not happy being near it. Decreasing targets and not getting supplies out to rural GPs, when there are actually enough out there to get deliveries out, is not performing well.
ON the talk of AZ letting us down, considering the emphasis now in Ireland is on the elderly, and NPHET are not allowing AZ vaccines for that sector, then any issues over AZ are irrelevant entirely at this juncture.
I’m a bit nonplussed by that response. You asked why the comparison with other countries. I explained it and how it showed we are actually doing well, and your response is why aren’t we the best. We haven’t been the best at any aspect of this pandemic so far, at all. I’m happy that we’re doing quite well on vaccination.
I also expect that there will be teething issues and minister in his interview accepted that there were problems occurring despite @bandage’s erroneous contention that he did the opposite.
NIAC has now recommended AZ be used for over 70s (again) by the way, which should undo Tony Holohan’s unnecessary solo run, should he accept their recommendation.
no, you’ll find I didnt ask why the comparison with other countries, I asked why should we be happy that we are ok compared to other countries. I understand why we have the comparison, I just dont think that should be the metric on which we see if we are doing well or not.
Are we vaccinating to the absolute best of our capabilities? We certainly are not. And I’m comparing that to stats from previous weeks where our vaccination numbers are decreasing, not increasing. Deliveries promised to GPs not being fulfilled. 3 days of the week being a complete write off. Unclear stats as to how many vaccines we actually have in our possession. We should be long past teething issues too at this stage. Teething issues 11 weeks into a mass vaccination program. Its not like this is something entirely new.
Again I think you’re being unreasonable. Being near the top of the table in the EU is a good performance by anyone’s standards.
They’re in no rush.
According to Phillip Nolan this morning, just 10 more weeks of lockdown now to hold on for before they let you go to the likes of “non essential retail”.
It’s no time at all sure.
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