The Health Minister has announced that a Covid-19 booster jab will be offered this autumn to those at high risk of serious illness and most likely to benefit from vaccination.
Those eligible for the booster in the North of Ireland include residents in care homes for older adults, all adults aged 65 years and over, individuals aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group as outlined in the Immunisation Green Book, and frontline health and social care workers.
Last year, the autumn vaccination programme was brought forward due to concerns at the time surrounding a new Coronavirus variant.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “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).
“I would urge everyone who falls into an eligible group to take up the offer of free vaccination for Covid-19 when the programme commences this autumn.”
Commenting on the upcoming vaccination efforts, Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said: “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.”
Further information, including how and when eligible individuals can access the autumn booster vaccination programme, will be confirmed by the Public Health Agency in the next few weeks.
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