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Covid-19 spring booster vaccination to begin in coming days

The Covid-19 spring booster vaccination is to begin in Northern Ireland in the coming days. Picture by Nick Potts/PA Wire
The Covid-19 spring booster vaccination is to begin in Northern Ireland in the coming days. Picture by Nick Potts/PA Wire The Covid-19 spring booster vaccination is to begin in Northern Ireland in the coming days. Picture by Nick Potts/PA Wire

THE Covid-19 spring booster vaccination is to begin in Northern Ireland in the coming days.

People aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older people, and those aged 12 years and over with weakened immune systems will be offered a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) said the spring booster should be offered around six months after an individual received their first booster dose.

The agency is now urging those eligible to book an appointment.

Dr Jillian Johnston from the PHA said: "Covid-19 is more serious in older people and those with a weakened immune system. Protection from the vaccine may be lower and may decline more quickly in these people.

"Although vaccines are expected to provide good protection against severe Covid-19 disease, protection against mild infection with the Omicron variant seems to decline quickly, even after a booster dose, so the additional spring booster will help address this.

"This spring booster is being offered as a precaution to those at extremely high risk, most of whom received their first booster around six months ago.

"If the number of infections increases over the summer, this booster should help to reduce your risk of being admitted to hospital with Covid-19."

The spring booster programme will begin in care homes from the start of April with community pharmacies carrying out this phase of the programme, while GPs are also inviting all their eligible patients aged 75 years or older in for vaccination.

They will also have the option to receive the booster at a participating community pharmacy or at a HSC Trust-led vaccination clinic.

Trusts will continue to run some vaccination centres as well as mobile clinics/pop-up clinics, while district nursing teams will continue to vaccinate the eligible housebound patients.

Immunosuppressed individuals are also eligible for the spring booster as long as there is at least three months since their previous dose.

Dr Johnston added: "Covid-19 has not gone away and we would urge those eligible to come forward for the spring booster when invited".