Donnelly expecting advice on whether Ireland will need to begin a vaccine booster campaign

The HSE has indicated previously a booster campaign could be done in parallel with the flu vaccine campaign. 

Health minister Stephen Donnelly is expecting advice next week on whether Ireland will need to begin a vaccine booster campaign.

Speaking to RTÉ at a Covid-19 testing centre on Tuesday, he said the National Immunisation Advisory Committee is due to give advice on this next week.

The HSE has indicated previously a booster campaign could be done in parallel with the flu vaccine campaign. This could mean anyone receiving a booster in Ireland getting the jab starting in six to eight weeks time.

Mr Donnelly said of the flu campaign: “That would normally happen around the last week of September, [or] first week of October.” 

The minister also confirmed the decision NIAC made last week that in some circumstances vaccine types could be mixed.

This refers to situations where someone had an allergic reaction to a vaccine-type called mRNA made by PfizerBioNTech or Moderna.

They could receive a second jab using the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine instead according to new vaccine guidelines issued by the HSE on Friday.

HSE CEO Paul Reid has previously said the HSE has been working on a plan for boosters, but could not begin practical implementation until Niac advised they are necessary.

The giving of boosters to people in developed countries is controversial, however, as the World Health Organisation has urged wealthy countries to share vaccines with the developing world.

"The Minister for Health expects to receive advice on a booster campaign next week," said a spokeswoman for the Department of Health this afternoon.

"The Department of Health and the HSE are in regular contact regarding general planning matters for a booster vaccination programme."