Parental consent will be required.
The vaccination of 12 to 15-year-olds is expected to begin this weekend, the Director of Public Health at the HSE's National Immunisation Office has said.
Dr. Lucy Jessop told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that online registration for this cohort opens on Thursday, with the first jabs to be administered over the weekend.
Vaccination of this age group will require the consent of one parent or guardian.
Dr. Jessop said the cohort will be vaccinated with mRNA vaccines – either Pfizer or Moderna – so will require two doses over three to four weeks.
She added that no further safety concerns have been reported where these vaccines have been used in this age group, and that it is important for parents to research up-to-date information on vaccines from official sources before deciding on whether or not to vaccinate their children.
Dr. Jessop said that while most 12 to 15-year-olds recover well from Covid-19, some require admission to hospital or intensive care.
Others can develop Long Covid or develop a rare multi-system inflammatory condition.
The HSE is therefore stressing the importance of vaccinating children in this age group who have – or who live with someone who has – underlying health conditions that may put them at higher risk from the virus.
Dr. Jessop revealed a strong uptake is expected due to parental enthusiasm surrounding the vaccination of this cohort.
