Covid-19: Children aged five to 11 to be offered vaccine in Ireland

Covid-19 vaccinations will be offered to children aged five to 11 in the Republic of Ireland.

Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has accepted advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).

About 480,000 primary school children in the Irish Republic will be offered a vaccine.

According to RTÉ, it is likely to be January before the main vaccination programme begins, but some children may get their vaccine this month.

The vaccine for this age group will be a lower dose than that given to older children.

The NIAC strongly recommended that a vaccine should be given to children aged five to 11 who have an underlying condition, are living with a younger child with complex medical needs or living with an immunocompromised adult.

Children in those categories will be prioritised for vaccination as well as those with underlying conditions.

Vaccinations for children aged between 12 and 15 in the Republic of Ireland began in August.

Mr Donnelly said Ireland has seen "a significant increase in confirmed cases of Covid-19 in this age group".

"While we know that most children will experience a very mild form of this disease if they pick it up, for a small few, they may become severely ill," he said.

He added that extending the possibility of vaccination to this age group offers "another layer of protection to our children, and to those around them".

He also urged adults not to wait until after Christmas to receive their booster vaccine or come forward for their first dose.

"It is vital that all of us prioritise our booster appointments as soon as we receive them or make the time to attend a walk-in vaccination clinic if that option is available," Mr Donnelly said.

Elsewhere, the UK's four chief medical officers recommended healthy 12 to 15-year-olds be offered one vaccine dose.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) in Northern Ireland said letters and consent forms for the Covid-19 vaccine were expected to be sent to parents of eligible 12 to 15-year-old pupils in mid-to-late October.