Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said he would like to see the green light given on boosters for healthcare workers.
The minister said he believes there is "a strong case" for giving healthcare workers boosters and he will keep in very close contact with the National Immunisation Advisory Committee in relation to the issue.
"It's going to be a tough winter in healthcare," he said. "And as we go into the winter, we've got to be doing everything we can.
"One of the things we're doing is the flu vaccine programme and we're now adding the booster vaccine programme to that as well.
"I think we have been very well served by NIAC and I think one of the reasons why we have one the highest participation rates in vaccines in Ireland is because people, rightly, trust the expert advice and they know that we are following that expert advice."
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said he would like to see the green light given on Covid-19 vaccine boosters for healthcare workers | https://t.co/e17bSCfkN3 pic.twitter.com/aGRzjkyluC
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) October 20, 2021
The minister also again urged those who have not yet been vaccinated to come forward.
Recently NIAC found that the evidence did not currently support giving a booster dose to health staff. It has not changed that advice in its latest opinion but it will be kept under rolling review.
The matter is being kept under review but the Government considers it an urgent matter.
The Taoiseach told the Dáil yesterday that he would like to see healthcare workers receiving boosters, but that we must take "expert advice of NIAC".
