Northern Ireland

Almost 30,000 Covid booster jabs administered, Robin Swann reveals

GPs will soon be contacting patients over 50 who had their second Covid vaccine jab over six months ago to book a booster shot.
GPs will soon be contacting patients over 50 who had their second Covid vaccine jab over six months ago to book a booster shot. GPs will soon be contacting patients over 50 who had their second Covid vaccine jab over six months ago to book a booster shot.

ALMOST 30,000 Covid vaccine booster doses have been administered in the north, the health minister has revealed.

Robin Swann told the Assembly yesterday there was no shortage of booster doses available after concerns were raised by MLAs.

It comes as figures show 2,578,675 doses in total have been given in the north, with over 1.2 million people having had two jabs.

The Department of Health also revealed another eight Covid-19 deaths, and another 1,367 cases yesterday.

During ministerial question time, Mr Swann said: "The JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) has advised that the groups one to nine (care home and frontline healthcare workers, those who are clinically vulnerable and those over the age of 50) prioritised in the phase one of the Covid-19 vaccination programme should be offered a booster dose of the vaccine.

"JCVI advice is that the booster vaccine should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine.

"The six-month interval will drive the timeline for eligibility and delivery. The various health and social care trusts began booster vaccination programmes in care homes in the week commencing September 20.

"As of midday today, 29,836 booster doses have been delivered as well as 4,123 third doses."

Mr Swann said GPs would shortly start contacting patients over the age of 50 who received their second vaccine dose six or more months ago.

Meanwhile, in the Republic yesterday, the National Public Health Emergency Team said another 2,399 Covid cases had been identified - the highest daily figure since January.