Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. What I said yesterday and today is not blaming people. It was to underline the importance of the booster, especially in light of the arrival of the Omicron variant. I was talking to the President of the European Commission and others. There is still a bit to go on interpreting the data, research and science. The science seems to indicate we are looking at a more infectious and more transmissible variant but that vaccination still gives protection against disease, hospitalisation and admission to an ICU. There must be a very clear message from all of us to people that when they get their opportunity to get the booster that they take it. It will give you a very quick increase in antibodies and your capacity to resist severe disease and illness from both Delta and Omicron.

If one looks at how transmissible Delta is, early evidence suggests Omicron is more infectious and has an advantage over Delta. We can see what is happening in the UK and in other countries where evidence is coming out about how rapidly it is developing, and that is a concern.

The best possible protection is to get the booster dose. Some early tests are showing that. They are also showing that the first and second doses have a weakening effectiveness against Omicron but the third dose significantly improves your capacity to avoid severe illness and disease. Yes, the HSE is working through its systems and so on, which are open to 50-year-olds and 60-year-olds this week. It is constantly reviewing how best to maximise uptake in the next number of weeks through its booster campaign. We are at just more than 1 million booster doses, which is about fourth in Europe. Looking immediately ahead, the most effective thing we can do as a country is to do everything we possibly can to get the booster to as many people as quickly as we can. That is what is required. I say to people that if they get the opportunity to get the booster, they should take it.

Pharmacies are helpful but they by no means cover anywhere near a critical mass of those being vaccinated. To be fair, GPs have been very strong when it comes to the older age cohorts. That has to be said. I pay tribute to the GPs for their work and to those pharmacies who have taken the booster dose up.

On children and vaccinations, NIAC has now made recommendations for the administration of paediatric vaccines. It has recommended that children aged five to 11 years, especially those with an underlying condition, living with a younger child with complex medical needs or living with an immunocompromised adult, should receive the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer. This should be offered in parallel with booster doses for those of all ages with underlying conditions. The recommendations go a little further, which I can elaborate on later. The Department of Health and the HSE are now working on a plan involving the information campaign advised by the Deputy. They will publish that plan in the next number of days.

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