Parents of 5-11 year olds at higher risk can now register for the Covid-19 vaccine

This is great news for parents of vulnerable children.

As of today, Tuesday, December 28th, the HSE has opened COVID-19 vaccine registration for children aged 5 - 11 years who are at higher risk from COVID-19. What this means is that parents can register their child for the vaccine from today if they have a health condition that puts them at higher risk or if they live with someone who is at higher risk. All other children will be invited to register during January 2022. Getting the vaccine In line with NIAC guidance, children aged 5 – 11 will be offered a Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccine. The vaccine for children is a smaller dose than the vaccine for adults. They will need two doses about 3 weeks apart. “We’re inviting parents of children in this priority group to register their child for their free COVID-19 vaccine, Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of Public Health, National Immunisation Office, explains. "The vaccine is being offered to children who are most at risk from COVID-19, so that they or their vulnerable household contacts can be protected first. Parents of all other children ages 5-11 years will be invited to register in January." “Clinical trials showed that this vaccine was highly effective at preventing COVID-19 in children. All vaccines are tested before they are approved for use in Ireland by the European Medicines Agency." If parents have questions and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine – particularly parents whose child is not at higher risk, Jessop advises them to take time to read more about the vaccines. "Parents should get their information from a trusted source, such as hse.ie or a medical professional when making the decision to vaccinate their child.” How to Register The quickest and easiest way to register is online. You will need a Personal Public Service (PPS) number, Eircode, a mobile phone number and an email address. Alternatively, parents can call HSELive on 1800 700 700 to register their child over the phone. Children who don’t have a PPSN can be vaccinated, their parents can register them on the phone with HSElive. Once a parent registers their child, they will receive a text message with details of their appointment. The vaccines will be given in vaccination centres. Most children aged 5 – 11 will be vaccinated at a vaccination centre near their home. They will need to be accompanied by an adult. Children attending alone will not be vaccinated. The HSE has provided dedicated information for parents on hse.ie, which outlines the benefits and risks of the vaccine, read this here. The HSE has also published a child-friendly comic all about coming to the vaccination centre and how it works, read this here.