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Vaccination centre in the Helix Centre, Dublin. RollingNews.ie

Booster dose gap to be reduced to three months, Health Minister announces

Stephen Donnelly announced the news this evening.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS announced an acceleration of the Covid booster programme, as emerging evidence indicates reduced protection from vaccines against the new Omicron variant.

Many countries had, before the new variant emerged, been operating booster programmes similar to Ireland’s, focusing on vulnerable groups, with a gap of five or six months between the second dose and a booster.

However, in a statement this evening, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that the gap between your Covid jab and your booster injection has been reduced from five to three months. 

“I have this evening accepted a recommendation from NIAC that the gap between completion of the primary schedule of COVID-19 vaccination and a booster dose will be reduced to three months. Boosters will continue to be offered in the priority order previously recommended,” he tweeted today.

This five/six month interval was based on studies which began to emerge in the autumn and which showed waning immunity among those who were vaccinated. However the Omicron variant has changed the discussion. 

Now it is less about immunity to the Delta variant waning after a period of time and more about generally reduced immunity to this new variant across all vaccinated cohorts.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended a booster (fourth dose) of an mRNA vaccine no sooner than three months after their third dose for those who are immunocompromised and for whom a third dose had been previously recommended as part of an extended vaccine schedule.

NIAC also recommended that those individuals who have received one dose of a two-dose primary vaccine schedule and who subsequently got Covid, should complete their primary vaccination course four weeks after their diagnosis or when they started to get symptoms.

The Journal reported last week that the plan was to be accelerated for the 30s and 40s age cohorts. 

Fresh advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) last week stated that data currently available supports safe and effective administration of a booster dose as early as three months from completion of the primary vaccination, should such a short interval be desirable from a public health perspective.

Vaccine efficacy

Pfizer-BioNTech last week presented preliminary results from a study, warning that  ”the Omicron variant is probably not sufficiently neutralised after two doses”.

Blood samples from around 20 people who had received two doses of the current vaccine showed on average a 25-fold reduction in neutralising antibodies compared to the early strain of the virus, the companies said.

However they added that another part of the immune response – from T-cells – were probably still effective against the new variant, meaning that people with two doses “may still be protected against severe forms of the disease”.

The companies said the study indicates that three doses of the vaccine are effective against the Omicron variant.

Results showed a booster generated around the same level of potent antibodies against Omicron as is seen after a second dose with the initial strain.

Preliminary results from another small study in South Africa suggested there was up to a 40-fold drop in the ability of the antibodies from the same vaccine to neutralise Omicron, compared to an early strain.

However the institute which carried out the study said it was important to be careful interpreting results because they reflect what happens in a laboratory setting and real-world data will be the true test. 

International response

Several other countries have also decided to reduce their wait time in response to the new variant. 

South Korea has just announced that it will further cut its booster interval for all adults to three months, as the country reported more than 7,000 new cases for three days in a row.

Thailand has also decided to halve to three months the time between administering a second dose and a booster.

In the US, eligibility for Covid booster vaccines has been expanded to 16 and 17-year-olds at least six months after their second vaccine dose. 

Australia has just cut its waiting time from six months to five for anyone aged over 18. 

Many EU countries still have a five-month interval, though this may change over the course of the week as further information about the Omicron variant emerges and case numbers rise.

Others have already made the move to reduce the wait time, with Greece announcing earlier this month that the interval was to be cut to three months. 

- With reporting from AFP and Garreth MacNamee

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    Mute Alan mulvey
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:09 AM

    Have they not being talking about this since the boom?

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 3:57 PM

    It smells like political posturing to me. The info in the paper during was in direct contradiction of what the minister said before Christmas – ruling out tax credits because as he said in a parliamentary question a system of tax allowances would not benefit parents working in the home and could be seen as discriminatory. In addition, tax reliefs would favour the high paid while those on the minimum wage or in part-time work would not benefit to the same extent. Secondly he ruled out the second ECCE year now it back on the table. He’s doing a political cha cha because of the growing momentum for the Association of Childhood Professionals petition and 17th February rally which is even more reason to keep the pressure going. These hollow promises are just to attempt to quieten voices but I for one was raging when I read the article. This committee too is just a stalling tactic too, it will take several months for the committee to be formed, compile the data, launch it, then it will gather dust for a bit and hay presto it’s election time and they’re gone. Surly there is enough reports done of the years that can be dusted off and acted on. I for one will be at the Dail on 17th Feb with the ACP using my voice and looking for positive change. #oneunitedvoice (rant over)

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 3:59 PM

    Here’s the link for the petition for the government to invest in our children early years education, please support, sign and share https://www.change.org/p/enda-kenny-respect-value-and-resource-all-areas-of-early-childhood-education-and-care

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    Mute Michael cunnane
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:10 AM

    Childcare costs….like paying two mortgages.

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    Mute Eugene Doyle
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:36 AM

    The problem is…..it is election spin!!!

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    Mute Stuart Keogh
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:02 AM

    Course it is, it’s the same government that threatened to cut child benefit if we didn’t sign up to IW, “but childcare services are important to them” pffffft

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    Mute Nobby Donnelly
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:17 AM

    Still early – i thought the headline was about making irish children more adorable..

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    Mute Jennie
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:08 AM

    That made me smile this morning. Thank you

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    Mute selita
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:36 AM

    The first thing they need to do is look at the childcare subvention scheme and community childcare.

    Why oh why are the government subsidising childcare for those who choose not to work.
    Yes I know there will be do-gooders who will say the child needs it, that maybe these parents are looking for work etc. there is millions wasted, I work in the community sector and as a working parent there is nothing that drives me mad than meeting parents (who choose NOT to work) leaving their kids off at crèche a few mornings a week, so that they get ‘a break’ and pay between €20-€30(and complain having to pay this) for the privilege as the government subsidises this. Yet I have to pay full crèche fees of a grand and pay tax. While there are numerous families struggling to pay bills and childcare, there are huge numbers of subsidised crèche places being taking up by parents who do not work or train and do not want to!!

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    Mute Rakel
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:57 AM

    Selita, maybe the fact that some people ‘choose’ to stay at home and take responsibility for the majority of their childs care should be praised and not criticised. Of course people who do this have less money and that is why they need subsidised fees, or are they simply not entitled to a ‘break’ because they don’t put their child in crèche for 8+ hours a day and subscribe to a societal norm that is about as anti-family as it gets!

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    Mute Rakel
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    Jan 14th 2015, 11:00 AM

    Caring for a child/family is very much work as you should know. So sick of people undervaluing the role of the parent in the home.

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    Mute Henry Fleming
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    Jan 14th 2015, 11:15 AM

    Rakel, looks like you completely missed the point made!!

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    Mute Rakel
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    Jan 14th 2015, 12:12 PM

    No I see her point Henry, and have no problem with the cost of childcare coming down for working families, but I didn’t like her comments in relation to parents who don’t work!

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    Mute mammy
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    Jan 14th 2015, 1:54 PM

    But how are they going to go and buy their breakfast rolls and Johnny blues without having to share with the chizzlers?

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    Mute selita
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    Jan 14th 2015, 4:35 PM

    I am not undervaluing the stay at home parent, it is something I would aspire to be!!! Rakel I am talking about parents (both) who CHOOSE NOT to work and have no intention of working, having numerous kids….claim social welfare benefits, social housing etc. Parents not wanting to work and putting there child into a crèche 20-25 hours per week is hardly looking after their children? if I didn’t have to work I wouldn’t have my kids in crèche, why would I? as a working mother when do I get a break, im up at 6am, kids feed and clothed, dropped off, in work run of my feet, work through lunch so I can get out early, pick up kids, spend time with them, make dinner, bed time routine, clean up and finally sit down at 10pm and off to bed at 10.30, woken at least once a night by my baby.
    I HAVE to work in order to keep a roof over my kids head, if I gave up work we would lose our home, I cant sell as we are in negative equity, I would love a large family, but that is not possible.

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    Mute martintim
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:47 AM

    Anyone who believes them needs their head examined, they’ll make the price higher with some kind of creche tax if anything

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    Mute Alison Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:58 AM

    And it will only apply to crèches even if you have a childminder through the tax system. Seems fair, not!!!

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    Mute Philip
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    Jan 14th 2015, 11:59 AM

    Those that choose to look after their own children rather than get some stranger to look after them.

    What help are they getting?

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    Mute Snorre N Skalagrimmerson
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:58 AM

    Pure spin by the anti family anti people FG/LAB JUNTA

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    Mute deerhounddog
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:30 AM

    Pune spin.

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    Mute deerhounddog
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:34 AM

    Pure spin

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    Mute Richie Rice
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:25 AM

    What else would it be, soak it up Pixies.

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    Mute Live Long
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:14 AM

    Child care should be more affordable but not on the backs of the tax payer, we pay enough as it is to support other peoples children.

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    Mute Sian O Sullivan
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:47 AM

    So are you suggesting everyone should fill out a little form every month indicating what their tax should be spent on ???

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 4:02 PM

    these are the future tax payers who will be paying into you pension and elderly care, try to see the big picture.

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