Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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556. To ask the Minister for Health the provision that will be made for persons who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons given the extension of the legislation requiring vaccine passports in restaurants and similar indoor venues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54025/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The current high level of COVID-19 infection and the dominance of the significantly more transmissible Delta variant poses a very substantial threat, particularly to those who are not fully protected through vaccination. Public health advice remains that those who are not fully vaccinated should avoid congregated indoor settings for their own and others safety.

The National Public Health Emergency Team gave some consideration to the issues arising for those people that can’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons as part of its discussions on the 18th October 2021 on the continuing response to COVID-19 and the extension of Covid Pass arrangements. The matter is being given further consideration.

The Deputy may wish to be aware that on 15 July, NIAC made a recommendation, which was endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer and accepted by the Minister for Health that while the preference was for homologous vaccination regimens (using the same vaccine as part of a two dose regime) that selective use of heterologous vaccination schedules (two different vaccines used as part of two dose regime) should be permitted where a second vaccine dose of a homologous regimen is contraindicated, irrespective of whether the first dose was an mRNA or adenoviral vector vaccine. NIAC in conjunction with the RCPI and the Irish Association of Allergy and Immunology have prepared a guide to aid vaccinators and other healthcare workers on how to advise allergic individuals in respect of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, this guide is available here: rcpi-live-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FAQs-about-COVID19-Vaccines-and-Allergies_12August2021.pdf

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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557. To ask the Minister for Health if he will take steps to ensure that a person (details supplied) who is 88 years of age and who has significant health vulnerabilities receives their booster Covid-19 vaccination and the flu vaccination without any further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54028/21]

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.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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558. To ask the Minister for Health his Department’s plan for Covid-19 booster shots for healthcare workers; if the vaccines necessary are currently available; if the same or a different vaccine to the first two doses will be administered as a booster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54030/21]

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 also recommended that a booster dose of mRNA vaccine be offered to all those aged 60-79 (irrespective of whether the primary vaccination course was of an mRNA or adenoviral vector) 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).

On 1 November the NIAC recommended that a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (irrespective of whether the primary vaccination course was of an mRNA or adenoviral vector) be offered to healthcare workers. The booster dose should be ideally given six months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule (with a minimum interval of five months). The Chief Medical Officer has endorsed the latest recommendations and the HSE has now been asked to proceed with implementation.

Ireland has entered into seven Advance Purchase Agreements, subject to regulatory approval, for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccine from a range of manufacturers. Four vaccines have been authorised by the European Medicines Agency to date; Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), Spikevax (Moderna), Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) and Janssen. Ireland has procured significant quantities of vaccines to facilitate the continuation of the Covid-19 vaccination programme and the continued rollout of the booster programme over the coming months.