Thread by @NaomiOhReally

Research indicates mental health conditions are a major risk factor for Covid-19.
People with conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression with psychosis were seven times more likely to catch Covid-19, and had double the death rate.
irishtimes.com/life-and-style…

This is reflected in vaccine priority in the UK, where severe mental illness such as schizophrenia is included as among the "underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality".
They are next in line for vaccines after the over-65s.

However, in Ireland's vaccine allocation groups, no mental illnesses are included among the listed medical conditions deemed to put people at high risk of severe disease.
gov.ie/en/publication…

This means people aged under 55 with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or depression with psychosis will be in the last or second-last group to be vaccinated, despite being at high risk of catching Covid-19 and at increased risk of death if they do.

Vaccine priority is so so difficult with many worthy cases to be made.
We've heard a lot of lip service about mental health though, at least when politically convenient, so it seems worth pointing out we haven't included any such conditions when calculating vaccination priority.