CMO urges people to get vaccinated as new covid variant spreads

Chief medical officer Professor Breda Smyth.

Chief medical officer Professor Breda Smyth has urged people to get vaccinated as health authorities say autumn booster vaccines are expected to be effective against new covid-19 variants.

A sub-variant of Omicron known as EG.5 or informally as Eris is circulating in Ireland with 94 cases identified up to August 15, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said on Monday.