Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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171. To ask the Minister for Health if a timeline for Covid-19 booster jabs for each age group has been approved; and if so, the timeline for booster jabs. [59158/21]

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 makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation.

On 25 November the NIAC recommended that a booster of an mRNA vaccine be offered to persons aged 16-49 years. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has endorsed the latest NIAC recommendations. Booster vaccines should be offered to those in previously recommended groups before progression to the younger age cohorts.

On 15 November the NIAC recommended that a booster of an mRNA vaccine be offered to persons aged 16-59 years with underlying conditions, all residents in Long Term Healthcare Facilities and persons aged 50-59 years. The CMO has endorsed these NIAC recommendations and written to the HSE requesting the recommendations be operationalised as soon as possible.

The NIAC has previously recommended that an mRNA booster be offered to those aged 60 years and older and healthcare workers. I have accepted this advice and the HSE has made the necessary arrangements to operationalise these recommendations with the booster rollout now underway.

The booster dose should be given after an interval of five months following the last dose of any authorised Covid-19 vaccine. Those who received Covid-19 vaccine Janssen as their primary vaccination should receive an mRNA booster after an interval of three months. The NIAC will continue to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccines.

As the timeline for booster vaccines is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible