COVID booster vaccines coming this Autumn in Northern Ireland - who’s eligible?

The Department of Health recently welcomed the confirmation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Under the advice from JCVI, those eligible for a further dose will include all adults aged 50 and over, all residents and staff in a care home for older adults and frontline health and social care workers.

Those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women and children and adults who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression and carers aged 16 to 49 will also be offered the booster.

“When we think back to where we were in 2020 before vaccines became available, we are reminded just how much we owe to all those who made our vaccine programme possible.

“Our vaccination programme in Northern Ireland has involved a huge collective effort right across health and social care. The JCVI advice for this autumn means boosters will be available to a large section of our population, who JCVI believe would benefit most from receiving a booster dose. Delivering this programme will be a major logistical operation for our health service but I am very confident we will rise to the challenge once again, despite all the pressures our service continues to face.”

Details on dates and venues have yet to be released.

“Vaccination is our chief defence against COVID-19 and I would again urge everyone who is eligible for a booster as part of our autumn programme to come forward as soon as it becomes available.”