Booster vaccines will soon be offered to all people aged 16-59 years who have an underlying condition.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced the expansion of the plan yesterday.
Vaccines will are also to be offered to all residents in long-term healthcare facilities, irrespective of age, and those aged 50 to 59 years who have completed their primary course with any Covid-19 vaccine.
The measures will be implemented “as soon as possible” the minister said.
The additional dose will be given at least five months after a person completed their first course of vaccines, or six months after COVID-19 infection.
The expansion of the vaccine programme comes after last night’s announcement of new measures to interrupt the spread of COVID-19.
Minister Donnelly said: “In Ireland, we have already seen that booster doses given to those aged 80 years and older have been followed by a sharp decline in case numbers in that age group. This is very welcome news, and I encourage all of those who are eligible for a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to come forward and receive that vaccine as soon as it is available to you.
“NIAC have strongly recommended that those who have yet to receive their primary vaccination do so as a matter of urgency given the current force of infection in the community. Our frontline health care workers are telling is that unvaccinated individuals have much higher rates of infection, hospitalisation, ICU admission and mortality than those who are fully vaccinated. Please come forward to get your vaccine as soon as possible, the HSE want to see you.”
