THE Covid-19 vaccination programme is now being made available to everyone over the age of 18 in the North of Ireland.
Appointments are available to book online at the Health and Social Care booking website and by telephone on 0300 200 7813.
More than one million people in the North of Ireland have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
The Department of Health said vaccine supplies were limited and there would be about 20,000 slots available weekly.
The limit is to help manage the availability of the Pfizer vaccine after regulators said under 40s should be given an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the department said.
However, it said anyone in that age group could still make an informed decision to have AstraZeneca jab.
Health Minister Robin Swann said the announcement that over-18s could get vaccinated soon was “welcome news for young people who have been waiting patiently for their turn to get the jab”.
“[It] is another important milestone in the drive to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as we can so that we can see a return to normality,” he said.
“The tremendous success of the vaccination programme has brought great hope and has helped to enable the recent further easing of restrictions.”
Chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said the North of Ireland was “dealing with the emergence of new variants” and that everyone had “a part to play in keeping each other safe”.
He said: “I know that many young people will be very keen to book their jab now that they’re eligible for vaccination.
“It’s important to understand that while the risk of severe disease is lower in young people, some may become very ill and, of course, they can pass on the virus to others who may be more vulnerable.”
He urged everyone aged 18 and over to book a slot for vaccination, including those in older age-groups who have yet had a jab.
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