The COVID-19 spring booster vaccination programme will get under way in Northern Ireland in the coming days, so the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging those eligible to get boosted.

People aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older people, and those aged 12 years and over with weakened immune systems will be offered a spring booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. It is advised that the spring booster should be offered around six months after an individual received their first booster dose.

Dr Jillian Johnston, Joint Interim Assistant Director in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “COVID-19 is more serious in older people and those with a weakened immune system. Protection from the vaccine may be lower and may decline more quickly in these people.

“Although vaccines are expected to provide good protection against severe COVID-19 disease, protection against mild infection with the Omicron variant seems to decline quickly, even after a booster dose, so the additional spring booster will help address this.

“This spring booster is being offered as a precaution to those at extremely high risk, most of whom received their first booster around six months ago. If the number of infections increases over the summer, this booster should help to reduce your risk of being admitted to hospital with COVID-19.”

Further info at www.pha.site/springbooster.

Find out more on how to get your booster vaccination at www.nidirect.gov.uk/covid-vaccine.  

Further information

In relation to the spring booster dose, JCVI have advised that this should be offered around six months after an individual received their first booster dose.  JCVI have advised that the spring booster dose should be offered to:

• adults aged 75 years and over,
• residents in a care homes, and
• individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the Green Book https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14a .