Parents are being urged to get their children vaccinated during midterm.
The HSE is urging parents to get their children vaccinated. It has now extended vaccine clinics for children aged between 5 and 11 years of age.
Parents can now book their child's vaccine appointment online via the
HSE portal.
Director of public health at the National Immunisation Office, Dr. Lucy Jessop said this move will help parents and guardians book a vaccine appointment that suits their schedule.
It is believed 27% of children in the 5-11 cohort are registered for their vaccine.
However, the HSE is hoping this number will increase in the coming weeks.
"We appreciate that parents/guardians are busy and we want to help make it as accessible as possible," she said.
"Next week’s midterm also gives parents another option to bring their children for a COVID-19 vaccine and we are encouraging parents and guardians to bring them along to one of our vaccination centres."
"Parents and guardians should get their information from a trusted source," Dr. Jessop stressed.
Sources such as
HSE.ie or a medical professional are best.
Children in the 5-11 cohort will be offered the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, but with a smaller dose.
The immunity they get will be similar to the higher-dose vaccine used in older age groups.
The Covid-19 vaccine should protect your child from getting severely ill with Covid.
The HSE has urged parents to get their children vaccinated if they:
- have a health condition that puts them at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19
- live with someone who is at higher risk of COVID-19
Children will be given the Covid vaccine in the upper arm.
Children will be given two doses but they will be given each dose three weeks apart.
The HSE has stressed that the vaccine is safe and also highly effective at preventing Covid-19 in kids.
