Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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1098. To ask the Minister for Health the additional supports he will put in place to support midwives and other medical professionals in providing advice regarding the safety and positive features of the Covid-19 vaccines to pregnant women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53271/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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1099. To ask the Minister for Health if he will put measures in place to ensure all healthcare workers will have third shots of Covid-19 vaccines available to them in advance of the winter period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53272/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On 8 September, I announced an update to the Covid-19 vaccination programme following advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).

The NIAC has recommended a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (irrespective of whether the primary vaccination course was of an mRNA or adenoviral vector) for residents aged 65 years and older living in Long Term Residential Care Facilities and for those aged 80 years and older living in the community. The booster dose can be given after a minimum interval of six months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule.

I have accepted this advice and the HSE has made the necessary arrangements to operationalise these recommendations with the booster rollout now underway.

The NIAC has now recommended that a booster dose of Pfizer/BioNTech should be offered to all those aged 60-79 who have completed their primary vaccination course with any Covid-19 vaccination. The booster dose should be ideally given 6 months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule (with a minimum interval of 5 months).

The NIAC continues to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccines for those with waning immunity and reduced effectiveness in other groups, such as those with co-morbidities (under 60 years of age) and healthcare workers and will make further recommendations if required. I have asked the Chief Medical Officer to ensure that the NIAC examine whether there is a clinical need for healthcare workers to receive booster vaccines.