Covid-19: Vaccines now available in NI to everyone aged 50 and over

People aged 50 or over in Northern Ireland can now book their Covid-19 vaccine appointment, Health Minister Robin Swann has announced.

Those who are eligible and wish to receive the vaccine can booking it online or be contacted by their GPs.

Booking slots are available at the seven regional vaccination centres.

There was some frustration about the length of time some people were having to wait in the queue to book their slot on Monday.

However, Mr Swann told the assembly that in the first three hours of the slots opening 30,000 people had booked vaccines.

The centres will primarily be using the AstraZeneca vaccine for first doses, to maximise available vaccine supplies.

Anyone who received the Pfizer vaccine as a first dose will still receive the Pfizer vaccine for their second dose.

Northern Ireland's health minister told the assembly that the "benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks".

It comes after health officials in Northern Ireland said they would continue to use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after its suspension in the Republic of Ireland.

The temporary suspension of the vaccine is already having an impact on the republic's immunisation programme.

About 30,000 vaccination appointments for health staff and those at high-risk might be delayed, according to RTÉ.

Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly described its move as "precautionary", after reports of serious blood clotting events in adults in Norway.

AstraZeneca has said there is no evidence of a link between the vaccine and increased risk of clotting, while Northern Ireland's Department of Health has said it would continue to use the vaccine after receiving guidance from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The latest figures show that across Northern Ireland 629,461 people have now received one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 54,636 have received two.

On Monday, the Department of Health recorded a further 121 cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

One additional death was reported, bringing the department's total number of deaths with Covid-19 to 2,099.

For a second day in a row, no additional deaths were reported in the Republic of Ireland, where there have a total of 4,534 Covid-19-related deaths.

The Republic of Ireland's health department said there were 575 more confirmed cases, which brings that total to 227,316.

Northern Ireland's health minister said vaccination was a "bridge to better, safer and more normal times for everyone".

Chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said the more people are vaccinated then "the more we are all protected".

He received his first jab on Monday morning.

"Vaccination alone will not provide 100% protection but it will change the balance in our favour against this virus.

"When your turn comes, don't delay, get the jab. Protect yourself and others," he said.

First Minister Arlene Foster also urged those eligible to take up the offer of a vaccine.

"The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) have been very clear that it is safe to take the AstraZeneca vaccine," said the DUP leader.

"I am looking forward to taking it, either this week or next week, depending on when I am able to get my vaccine booked for, but it is very important that people continue to take the vaccine."

On Monday, Dr Alan Stout, the chair of the British Medical Association's (BMA) NI GP committee, said it was the large supply of AstraZeneca jab that allowed the vaccination programme to continue at the speed it is.

He advised people that it was safe to receive, and there was also a risk of blood clotting with things like long-haul air travel, the contraception pill, and some forms of surgery.

"These are world experts that we have in these regulators bodies and they are all saying the same thing, and they are all saying it is safe," he said.

Dr Stout said he was "hopeful" jabs would be offered to the over-40s age group by Easter, mirroring the situation reportedly happening elsewhere in the UK.

How bizarre.

While health officials in the Republic of Ireland are choosing to pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine, in Northern Ireland they're accelerating the programme. So who should we trust?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the vaccine is safe. That message has been reinforced by the British Medical Association.

It's hard to ignore that the MHRA has said that it has received a small number of reports of blood clots relating to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

But it does seem that health officials in the Republic are being excessively cautious - Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and the country's deputy chief medical officer have said as much themselves.

Relations between the EU and AstraZeneca are somewhat toxic at present with the Republic of Ireland, where the vaccine is reportedly in short supply, having been let down so many times on delivery of the vaccine.

While people in the Republic will be rolling down their sleeves, in Northern Ireland an even greater number are preparing to roll them up.

The rollout will continue to be prioritised based on age, in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance aimed at protecting the most vulnerable, the Department of Health has said.

Vaccines are being dispensed in parallel by GP practices and vaccination centres.

Northern Ireland has seven regional vaccination centres: Royal Victoria Hospital, Ulster Hospital, South Lake Leisure Centre, Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Foyle Arena, Omagh Leisure Centre and Lakeside Leisure Centre.

Plans are also being finalised for community pharmacies to join the programme in the coming weeks, the department added.

An additional regional mass vaccination centre will open at the end of March at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

The vaccination centres are now offering bookings to:

Carers who have not already booked a vaccination appointment can email their health trust carer co-ordinators and they will make the necessary arrangements.

GPs are providing vaccines to:

The latter clinically vulnerable (CV) group is expected to largely mirror those who receive the winter flu vaccine each year because of their medical conditions.

CEV and CV individuals aged 16 and 17 years of age cannot receive the vaccine being used in GP practices.

These individuals will receive a letter from their GP and are able to book a vaccination slot at one of the vaccination centres.

People who want to book a vaccination centre appointment are asked to do so online if it all possible.

If online booking is not possible, then the telephone booking number is 0300 200 7813.

The booking line is open 08:00 GMT until 20:00 Monday to Friday.