Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed the publication of the JCVI’s recommendations for the autumn 2022 COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Mr Swann said: “We can now increase our planning to deliver our autumn booster program in Northern Ireland, based on this JCVI guidance.
“Vaccination provides vital protection against COVID-19 and has been particularly effective in reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death.
“When we think about where we were in 2020 before vaccines became available, we are reminded of how much we owe to all those who made our vaccine program possible.
“Our vaccination program in Northern Ireland has involved a huge collective effort across health and social care.
“JCVI’s advice for this autumn means that boosters will be available to a large proportion of our population who JCVI believes would benefit most from receiving a booster dose. Delivering this program will be a major logistical operation for our health service, but I am very confident that we will rise to the challenge once again, despite all the pressures our service continues to face.
“Vaccination is our main defense against COVID-19 and I would again urge everyone who is eligible for a booster as part of our autumn program to come forward as soon as it becomes available.
According to advice from the JCVI, those eligible for a further dose will be:
- Residents in an aged care home and staff working in aged care homes
- Frontline health and social care workers*
- All adults age 50 and older
- Those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group**, including pregnant women
- Those aged 5 to 49 who are household contacts of immunosuppressed persons
- Those aged 16 to 49 who are carers***
Notes to editors:
- The Green Paper can be accessed on the .gov.uk website.
*The definition of frontline health and social care workers is published in the Green Paper
**Clinical risk groups are defined in the Green Book – Tables 3 and 4
***The definition of carers aged 16 to 49 is shown in the Green Paper – Table 3
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