Covid-19 vaccine booster programme to start in Republic of Ireland

A Covid-19 vaccine booster programme will open for vulnerable people in the Republic of Ireland from Wednesday, the Irish Health Service Executive's chief executive has said.

Paul Reid said those who are deemed high risk will be contacted first.

He told RTÉ that their risk would be determined by clinical teams.

Appointments will start being administered on Wednesday and the third doses of the vaccine will first be given on Friday.

The booster programme will be completed over a period of five to six weeks, Mr Reid said.

He said the Health Service Executive (HSE) have been working with the National Immunisation Advisory Council (NIAC) who set out the recommendations for the booster programme.

Mr Reid said identifying those most at risk would not be a simple process and it "will be focused on the most vulnerable and immunocompromised".

"It is not a list that they can take off the shelf," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme.

People who are eligible for the booster will asked to attend a vaccination centre and hospital inpatients will likely be given the jab there.

He said those who are not contacted are likely not in the highest risk category.

All over 50s and healthcare staff are to be offered booster jabs in Northern Ireland after changes to the vaccine programme were announced by Stormont's Department of Health.

People aged 16 to 49 with underlying health issues can also have booster jabs.

The first boosters are expected to be given at the end of September.

An estimated 900,000 people will be eligible to receive a booster jab in Northern Ireland.

The Covid-19 booster vaccine announcement followed advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The JCVI advised booster jabs should be offered to people who are more at-risk from serious disease and were vaccinated as priority groups during the first phase of the vaccination programme early this year.