People as young as 12 will be able to attend walk-in Covid-19 vaccine centres where appointments are not necessary this weekend.
Although minors must be accompanied by parents and have their consent, it is the latest move in expanding Ireland’s efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible. A total of 40 centres will operate across the country.
On Thursday, the HSE said it has scheduled the walk-in clinics for those not yet vaccinated and that additional second dose clinics will also be available.
“With schools soon returning after the summer break we are keen to ensure people have the best possible access to vaccination for their children,” said Damien McCallion, director of the vaccination programme. “This is an important next step in Ireland’s vaccination rollout.”
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is understood to have told the Government that more than 90 per cent of people over the age of 16 will have to be fully vaccinated before the next stage of the exit from pandemic measures can be considered.
The latest walk-in clinics will offer the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna. For now, recipients will be only offered a second dose of the same vaccine they previously received.
People can go to any walk-in clinic location for their second dose as long as their vaccination is due and they have a proof of their first dose such as a vaccination record card. It does not matter if the first dose was given through a GP, pharmacy or in another country.
Parents or legal guardians will need to give consent for their child to get the Covid-19 vaccine at the walk in centre. The child getting the vaccine will also be asked if they are happy to get the vaccine at their appointment and children attending alone will not be vaccinated, the HSE said.
A full list of walk-in centres and information on the vaccines themselves is available on the HSE website.
