Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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594. To ask the Minister for Health the options that are available to persons to receive a booster vaccine in circumstances in which a person received a vaccine (details supplied) and is medically unable to receive another one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54243/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The NIAC's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.

The HSE has been advised to operationalise updated NIAC guidance in relation to the mixing of vaccines, specifically relating to certain people who are yet to complete a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine regimen.

The NIAC advice on heterologous vaccination relates to:

- individuals who have already had a dose of Vaxzervia® (AstraZeneca) and who did not complete the vaccination schedule as recommended, an mRNA vaccine should be offered.

If an mRNA vaccine is used as a second dose, it should be given after an interval of at least 28 days and the person should be considered fully vaccinated after their second vaccine (7 days after Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), 14 days after Spikevax (Moderna)).