LAST UPDATE | 31 Dec 2021

BOOSTER VACCINES WILL be available for over-16s from Sunday, with the booking portal set to open for that age group tonight. 

Eligible over-30s were free to have a booster vaccine from yesterday, with the booster programme now taking in the final remaining adult age group. 

Boosters for the 16-29 age group was due to begin from 10 January but this has now been brought forward by eight days. 

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said this evening that the over-16s will be able to access boosters through HSE vaccination centres, in GP surgeries and in community pharmacies on an appointment basis.

Bookings for vaccine centres can be made through the HSE’s online self-scheduler with initial appointments for this age group to be made available this evening. 

The Department of Health has said that GPs will continue to vaccinate based on age, with pharmacies also providing a vaccine by appointment. 

For someone to be eligible for a booster, they must have completed their primary vaccine course at least three months ago. People who were confirmed to have had Covid-19 must also wait three months after their positive test before availing of a booster. 

Donnelly said this evening that the acceleration of the booster programme for over-16s will “maintain momentum” and use the additional capacity put in place by the HSE. 

“This acceleration of the programmes means that many of our vaccination centres will now be administering primary, booster and paediatric doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The logistics of this undertaking are not to be underestimated and I would like to thank all those in the Department of Health, the HSE, the vaccination centres, our GPs and pharmacies as well as everyone involved in the logistics for their continued efforts,” he said.  

People aged 16 to 29 who received the Janssen vaccine as their first dose were able to avail of a booster from Tuesday of this week. 

As of today, a total of 2,035,000 booster Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in this country. 

Children

The primary course vaccination of children aged 5-11 began on 20 December for vulnerable cohorts in hospitals, but the wider roll-out to this group is to commence on 3 January.

Children who have a health condition that puts them at risk or who live with someone of higher risk will be able to have a vaccine in a vaccination centre from 3 January.

All other 5–11-year-olds will be offered a primary dose of Covid-19 vaccine from 8 January, with the portal opening for that group from 28 December.

This move means that everyone in Ireland over five will be entitled to a vaccine from next month.