Q&A: Everything under-40s need to know about the vaccine rollout

Adults under the age of 34 will be given the option to register for the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines.

The Health Minister has confirmed adults under the age of 34 will be given the option to register for the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines.

Stephen Donnelly received a revised vaccination plan from the HSE last night based on new recommendations that those under the age of 35 can be given all four vaccines.

The move will allow the cohort to be receive their vaccine up to two months earlier.

Mr Donnelly said that this acceleration is a huge benefit to this age group and society as a whole in the face of a predicted surge of Delta cases.

So, what does this latest announcement mean? And how do you opt in for the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines?

How will the new opt-in measures work?

The vaccine rollout for this younger age group will run on a two-track system with jabs being administered through vaccine centres and pharmacies.

Around 750 pharmacies around the country will administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to those the 18-34 age group who have registered with their local pharmacy.

A list of participating pharmacies can be found here.

Stephen Donnelly said supporting IT systems are in place and that the vaccine system will record each person’s details, including what vaccine they received and where and when they were given it.

This should avoid any confusion or duplication of appointments.

Who can register and when?

The online vaccine portal will open for registration for the 30-34 age group next Friday, July 9.

From Monday, July 5 anyone aged 18-34 can choose to get vaccinated with the one-dose J&J vaccine at participating pharmacies.

The online vaccine portal will open for registration for the 30-34 age group next Friday, July 9.

As with previous age groups, it will go down in age day-by-day ie. 34-years-olds on Friday, 33-year-olds on Thursday etc.

Those who register online at this stage will be registered for an mRNA vaccine.

From July 12, the 18-34 cohort will be able to go to the online portal to register for the viral vector vaccines.

At this time, people in older groups who have previously registered for an mRNA vaccine can, at that point, amend their record to opt in for an earlier J&J or AstraZeneca vaccine at a vaccination centre if they wish.

Online registration will subsequently open for people aged 25-29 and 18-24 in due course.

The vaccine portal for under 30s to access the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines will not open until August, according to Mr Donnelly.

For the 25-29 age group, it is hoped the registration will open in early August while it is estimated the 18-25 cohort will be able to register mid-August.

Will pharmacies be able to cope with demand?

Those opting to get the J&J vaccine at a pharmacy are asked to contact their local participating pharmacy from Monday. Picture: Denis Minihane.

Supplies of the J&J vaccine in participating pharmacies will be limited.

The HSE say 53,000 J&J vaccines are available at pharmacies nationally with an additional 70,000 doses available at short notice "if needed".

People are advised to register with their pharmacies early to allow them to plan accordingly and to avoid any potential waste.

Those opting to get the J&J vaccine at a pharmacy are asked to contact their local participating pharmacy from Monday.

Shortly after Mr Donnelly made the announcement on Friday morning, many pharmacies reported receiving an influx of calls from people hoping to register.

What is the difference between an mRNA vaccine and a viral vector vaccine?

mRNA vaccines - Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna - teach your body how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response without using a live virus.

After receiving an mRNA vaccine, the body makes antibodies that help fight the infection if a virus enters the body in the future.

These antibodies offer protection from Covid-19. It is safer for the immune system to learn how to protect from the virus through vaccination than by catching Covid-19.

The people who opt to get the mRNA vaccine at a vaccination centre will largely be getting the Pfizer although some will get Moderna.

The surface of the virus that causes Covid-19 is studded with proteins known as "spike proteins".

Viral vector vaccines - Johnson & Johnson/Janssen and AstraZeneca - use a harmless virus as a delivery system.

They teach the body how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response.

Covid-19 vaccines use the adenovirus as the vector. Adenovirus is the virus that causes the common cold.

The surface of the virus that causes Covid-19 is studded with proteins known as "spike proteins". The virus uses these spikes to enter human cells, infecting you with Covid-19.

When you get a viral vector vaccine, the vector enters a cell in your body. It then teaches the cell how to produce the Covid-19 spike protein.

After you get your vaccine, your immune system recognises that the protein doesn't belong there.

Your body then begins building an immune response to fight off what it thinks is an infection. This immune response makes antibodies.

How do I know which vaccine to choose?

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) has restated that it is still preferable that those aged 18 to 49 be given mRNA vaccines.

In light of the increasing prevalence of the Delta variant in Ireland and the risks associated with it, Niac has noted there is an urgency to complete vaccination of as many people as possible.

With this in mind, Niac recommended that those aged 18 to 49 can choose to get J&J and AstraZeneca in order to get protection earlier.

Consent mechanisms will be put in place by the HSE to ensure that anyone under 35 that is wishing to avail of earlier access to vaccination will be appropriately informed of the rare side-effects associated with the vector vaccines.

These people will also be advised about the probable timing of the availability of mRNA vaccine for their age group when considering the accelerated option.

When can I expect to get my vaccine?

Participating pharmacies should already have a supply of J&J vaccines and therefore can begin administering vaccines to those who have registered with them from Monday, July 5.

For those who register online for an mRNA vaccine, the plan is to begin administering these vaccines about a week after the registration opens on July 9 - so approx. July 16.

How do I register?

Those who would like to get the one-dose vaccine from a pharmacy should check this list to find their nearest participating pharmacy.

From Monday, are asked to contact their local participating pharmacy from Monday to book an appointment.

People who are registering through the online portal can do so by logging on to the vaccine portal here from Friday, July 9.

To register online, you will need a Personal Public Service (PPS) number, Eircode, a mobile phone number and an email address.

Alternatively, people can call HSELive on 1800 700 700 to register on the phone.

Once successfully registered online, the HSE will send the appointment details by text message within three weeks, as has been done with previous groups.

People who register online will be referred to a HSE vaccination centre.