Third Covid-19 vaccine dose for immunocompromised to begin next week

Appointments are likely to be made from Wednesday, with the third dose administered to those who are immunocompromised and over the age of 1 on Friday. 

The campaign to deliver a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to medically vulnerable groups will commence next week, the HSE’s chief executive Paul Reid has said.

Appointments are likely to be made from Wednesday, with the third dose administered to those who are immunocompromised and over the age of 12 on Friday. 

Mr Reid said contact would be made with those who are deemed at highest risk, adding that risk would be determined by clinical teams, focusing on the most vulnerable groups.

HSE chief Paul Reid said identifying who would need a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine would be 'complex'. Picture: Leah Farrell 

The HSE chief told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that "it will be a period of five to six weeks to complete this programme". 

However, Mr Reid said identifying who exactly would need a third dose was a "complex process" and not a "simple list to take off the shelf". 

Those likely to be included are people who are highly immunocompromised, organ recipients, renal patients, certain cancer patients, and people on particular medications.

People will be contacted by the HSE and clinical teams about their appointments, Mr Reid said.

“If people are not contacted, it’s most likely an indication that they’re not in that higher risk category," he added.

Mr Reid said their approach follows work with the National Immunisation Advisory Council, which set out the early recommendations.

The third dose of vaccine would top up the immunity of those whose protection has likely waned following their first and second shots earlier this year.

Mr Reid said it would take between five and six weeks to complete the programme, which will take place in vaccination centres, hospitals, care settings, and through GPs.

Contact tracing in schools

Mr Reid also defended the decision to relax close contact rules for children under 13 from Monday.

From next week, primary school students will no longer have to self-isolate if they don’t have symptoms after being identified as a close contact of a positive case in schools. Thousands of children currently self-isolating at home can return to school on Monday, as long as they are symptom-free.

Children identified as “household” close contacts will still have to isolate, as will students who have symptoms of Covid-19.

Mr Reid said evidence shows lower transmission levels in schools and a higher transmission rate among households.

“We do believe that the harm caused by keeping young children out of school for periods of time, with lower transmission levels, and with lower levels of sicknesses, the balance of risk is much better to have them in school for their social, physical, and general wellbeing."

“I think the public should take good confidence from this approach because it is now a demonstration of the whole phase of Covid moving to a very different phase.” 

Mr Reid also backed a planned Covid “bonus” for frontline workers.

The Government is planning a one-off bonus, either a cash lump sum or additional leave days, for frontline workers in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic.

“I’ve worked in many sectors – private sector, public sector, not for profit, local governments, national governments and now health systems,” he added.

“I have never seen a commitment from a workforce that I’ve seen in the health system to this pandemic.

“It’s been described as heroic, sometimes that may not do justice to the actual sacrifices that our staff made, and I do believe there is merit in having very real recognition for them," he said.