An autumn Covid-19 booster vaccination will be offered to those at high risk of serious disease and who are most likely to benefit from vaccination.
This includes care home residents, those aged over 65, those who are immunosuppressed and frontline workers
It comes as the contagious new Covid ‘FLiRT’ variants have been confirmed across the Ireland.
In the north, six cases of variant KP.2 have been identified so far with ewer than five cases of a similar variant KP.1.1 also detected.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt urged all those who are eligible to take up the offer.
“Vaccination has been particularly effective at reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death for those with underlying health conditions and for older people.
“As we enter this fourth autumn season of our Covid-19 booster programme, we know that vaccination provides vital protection for these groups. It also provides protection for workers we rely on to provide crucial healthcare to our population across frontline health and social care services. That is why we will offer the vaccination to this cohort in this autumn’s Covid-19 programme, in addition to the groups recommended in advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI).”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride added: “It remains as important as ever that those considered most at risk take up the offer of vaccination for Covid-19. I would encourage all who are eligible for this vaccine, and indeed those eligible for the influenza vaccine, to do so when they are invited.”
The autumn vaccination programme includes both the Covid-19 and flu vaccines. In many cases, they may be administered at the same time.
