Traffic chaos and three-hour waits at Navan vaccination booster clinic

****LATEST NEWS**** HSE Update at 12.58pm

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The HSE had to close the Simonstown vaccination centre to traffic this morning after massive queues and tailbacks developed as people turned up to access the booster vaccination clinic.

Major traffic queues formed around the site this morning in advance of the 8.45am opening times as people in the 50 - 69 age cohort turned up to get their booster jab

The HSE confirmed it had to close the site to traffic after 10am and that three-hour waits were to be expected - the clinic is due to remain open until 6:45pm this evening.

Frustated people hoping to get their jabs took to social media to vent their frustration about being stuck in traffic in both directions to the Simonstown centre.

One person who turned back home after queuing in traffic for over an hour told the Meath Chronicle:

"Took an hour to get into the grounds. By that stage people queuing twice around the clubhouse, around the pitch and out and up the proudstown road. Telling me there’d be a six-hour wait and even then no guarantee of getting done. Madness. So I drove through and came home, will wait for my appointment."

Sinn Fein TD for Meath West Johnny Guirke has called on the HSE to find a second vaccine centre in either Navan or Trim to avoid long waiting times.

"I have received a lot of calls over the last few days in relation to long waiting times for people trying to get booster vaccines.

"Some are waiting up to five hours in queues which just isn’t acceptable, and it is avoidable if the HSE finds an extra vaccine centre.

"Today, I am learning that there are long queues of traffic from the Round O Pub up to the Simonstown GAA grounds where the vaccine centre is located as allegedly the gates are closed.

"This is causing many people to sit in traffic for long periods while residents in the area cannot go about their daily business as the traffic chaos is causing anger among them.

"Many people have turned their cars around and gone back home as the long wait is putting them off their booster jabs.

"We could easily avoid all this traffic congestion and long waiting times if another suitable vaccine centre was set up.

"Some of the people who contacted me stated that there is a five hour waiting time at the centre and this should not be happening, and I am calling on the HSE to set up another centre in either Navan or Trim to avoid these queues."