Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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635. To ask the Minister for Health if a response will issue to correspondence from a person (details supplied) in respect of the need for clarity on access to the booster certificate for children aged between 12 and 15 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6002/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation creates a framework for the issuing, authentication, and validity of certificates. The scope and parameters for issuing the certificates is laid out in REGULATION (EU) 2021/953.

A Digital COVID Certificate is issued following a medical event related to Covid-19(vaccination, recovery or testing) in the EU Member State. A Digital COVID Certificate cannot be issued for a medical event which did not take place. Only persons who received a booster, under the vaccination schedule of the EU Member State, can be issued a Digital COVID Certificate as proof.

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.

The NIAC has 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 those aged 16 years and older with the rollout now underway.

The NIAC will continue to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccines and will make further recommendations if required.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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636. To ask the Minister for Health if he will request that public health examine the guidelines and arrangements for persons aged 12 to 15 years of age who have received two vaccinations but are deemed close contacts to bring them in line with advice for persons aged 16 plus who have a booster vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6017/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Advice for close contacts of Covid-19cases is set out within the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) National Interim Guidelines for Public Health management of Covid-19cases and contacts. This guidance was recently updated in view of the very large volumes of disease that are being experienced in Ireland, and taking account of the updated European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) guidance on cases and close contacts (January 2022). The national guidance in relation to close contacts takes into account a range of factors, including levels of immunity acquired through vaccination and/or previous infection. National guidance for the public health management of Covid-19cases and contacts is kept under review in light of evidence in relation to Covid-19 and the evolving epidemiological situation.