A fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose has been recommended for people aged 65 and over in Ireland.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee has also recommended anyone over the age of 12 who is immunocompromised receive a second booster dose.
And immunocompromised children aged 5-11 should complete an extended primary vaccine course, which totals three doses of the jab, according to the new recommendations released today.
Read more: RTE presenter Claire Byrne defends hosting TV show from shed
The recommendations were passed on from NIAC to Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan last night, before being endorsed by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly today.
NIAC also reiterated that the mRNA vaccines are safe for pregnant women to take.
Minister Donnelly said: “I welcome today’s update to Ireland’s vaccination programme.
"Covid-19 vaccines have achieved extraordinary success in preventing severe disease, hospitalisation and death.
"These vaccines continue to have a very good safety profile with hundreds of millions of doses administrated globally.
“Those who are unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated continue to be disproportionality affected and account for approximately a third of hospitalisations for Covid-19. As such, I urge anyone for whom an additional dose of vaccine has been recommended, or anyone yet to receive their primary course or booster vaccine do so as soon as possible.
“I have asked the NIAC to continue to actively examine the evidence regarding the likely benefit of a second booster to other groups, vaccine choice and interval in order to make further recommendations in this regard.”
Read more: Irish Prison Service rejects claims Covid prisoners are 'living in a zoo'
Read more: You’ll never see a child on a phone or a tablet in this Dublin playground
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
