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

I thank the Deputy for his comment. His point is valid. The advice from the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, is that it strongly recommends that children aged five to 11 years 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-BioNTech. This should be offered in parallel with booster doses for those of all ages with underlying conditions.

Its idea is that that should not be delayed unduly. NIAC has also recommended that vaccination should be offered to all other children aged five to 11 years in parallel with the offer of booster doses to those aged under 40. The Covid-19 vaccine that has been recommended is the Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11 years, and it goes through the doses recommended as opposed to the dose for adults. It is a two-dose schedule three weeks apart.

We now need to give time to the Department of Health and the HSE to comprehensively deal with this. They will announce the comprehensive plan, along with an information campaign.

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