- People aged 50-64 and people with long-term health conditions will be offered booster vaccines over the coming weeks
- Boosters give protection against serious illness and increase your immunity
From today, the HSE is inviting people aged 60 years and over and pregnant women to make an appointment for their booster dose at www.hse.ie with appointments available from August 15th.
Dr Colm Henry, HSE Chief Clinical Officer said:
This week we are putting the most recent vaccine advice into action and inviting new groups of people for their next booster. I encourage everyone aged 60 and over and pregnant women, to get their next booster dose. It will give you ongoing protection from serious illness, and increase your immunity against infection from COVID-19, which we know tends to reduce after a period of months following your last vaccine.
Eileen Whelan, National Lead, COVID-19 Vaccine Programme, HSE said:
Over the next few weeks, boosters will be offered to people aged 50-64, and people with long term health conditions. We are inviting people initially in blocks of 5 years, starting with people aged 60-64, to ensure people have a smooth experience booking appointments online and getting their vaccine.
When it is time for your next booster, you can:
- Book a booster appointment online at HSE vaccination clinics – this is an easy and convenient way to get your booster by selecting a time and date that suits you
- Check with participating GPs and pharmacies
- Visit hse.ie for more information
People who are more than 16 weeks pregnant are also invited to book their next booster at a HSE vaccination centre or from participating GPs. The HSE and Children’s Health Ireland will shortly be inviting, through their parents, children aged 5-12 who are immunocompromised and now due to have a second booster.
The HSE will be active over the next few weeks in our services, in the media and online, encouraging people to come forward for these and all other relevant COVID-19 vaccines.
Eileen Whelan continued:
We want people to be aware of the protection vaccines offer and to get their best protection from COVID-19. We are also continuing to plan for the autumn, when more groups of people have been recommended to have COVID-19 boosters as well as routine flu vaccines to provide best health protection for the winter ahead.
The HSE also strongly urges people who have not yet received a primary COVID-19 vaccine dose to consider attending one of the walk-in clinics for dose one or dose two of the vaccine, or to register for an appointment here.
For more information on your next COVID-19 booster, visit www.hse.ie/covid19vaccine or call HSELive on 1800 700 700.
| Who? | Appointments available from |
| · Aged 60 and over | 15th August |
| · Aged 55 and over | 22nd August |
| · Aged 50 and over | 29th August |
| · Aged 12+ who have underlying medical conditions or are residents of long-term care facilities | 1st September
|
| · Pregnant women at 16 weeks or later | 15th August |
| · Aged 5-11 with weak immune system | 15th August |
| · Healthcare Workers | From October, with flu vaccine |
| · People 65 and over | From October, with flu vaccine |
About your booster dose
Interval between first and second booster
You should get your second booster at least 4 months (at least 120 days) after your first booster. You can check the date of your last booster on your digital COVID-19 certificate.
If you have had COVID-19
You should get your second booster dose at least 4 months after your positive test result or when your symptoms started.
Going to the vaccination centre
Please bring a photo ID with you. ID can include one of the following: passport, driver’s licence, Garda age card, student/school ID etc., but if your ID doesn’t include your date of birth, please bring proof of your DOB (e.g. your birth cert).
What vaccine is available?
For people aged 30 and over, you will be offered a single dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna) vaccine. You can get these vaccines even if you got a different type vaccine for your primary course (AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer or Moderna). For people aged 16 to 29 years, you will be offered a single dose of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. You can get this vaccine even if you got a different vaccine for your primary course.
If you have not had your first booster yet
Everyone aged 12 and over can still get their first booster, and are invited to come forward and book an appointment for a HSE vaccination centre.
Information available on HSE.ie and HSELive are available to support with booking if required on Freephone: 1800 700 700
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