Who is entitled to autumn booster vaccinations in Northern Ireland as new Covid XEC variant spreads
The autumn booster campaign will get underway shortly as a new Covid-19 variant spreads across Europe.
A fresh round of Covid boosters will be available between October and December as the XEC variant is predicted to become the dominant strain of the virus.
XEC is understood to have been found in 15 countries in three different continents after it was first documented in Berlin, Germany, in June. The variant has also been reported in the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark and Israel.
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Last month, the Department of Health announced that an autumn Covid-19 booster vaccination will be offered to those at high risk of serious disease and who are most likely to benefit from vaccination.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Vaccination has been particularly effective at reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death for those with underlying health conditions and for older people.
“As we enter this fourth autumn season of our Covid-19 booster programme, we know that vaccination provides vital protection for these groups. It also provides protection for workers we rely on to provide crucial healthcare to our population across frontline health and social care services.
“That is why we will offer the vaccination to this cohort in this autumn’s Covid-19 programme, in addition to the groups recommended in advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI).
“I would urge everyone who falls into an eligible group to take up the offer of free vaccination for Covid-19 when the programme commences this autumn.”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride, added: “It remains as important as ever that those considered most at risk take up the offer of vaccination for Covid-19. I would encourage all who are eligible for this vaccine, and indeed those eligible for the influenza vaccine, to do so when they are invited.”
Who is eligible for a Covid booster?
According to the NHS, Covid vaccines provide good protection against the virus and that those who had received it were about 45% less likely to be admitted to hospital following two weeks after they had the booster.
The eligibility is the same in Northern Ireland. People should not be offered a booster any earlier than around six months following their last vaccine dose. If you are eligible, you can get an autumn vaccination even if you have not had a Covid jab offer in the past.
People who have a weakened immune system are also eligible for the vaccine, although there is a criteria, some of which can be seen here:
While the list does cover a number of people who are eligible, it does not cover everything, so check nhs.uk/get-vaccine to see if you are eligible.
How do I get the vaccine this autumn?
The following groups will be offered a Covid-19 booster vaccine in Northern Ireland this autumn:
residents in a care home for older adults
all adults aged 65 years and over
persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book
frontline health and social care workers
What are the symptoms of Covid XEC?
According to the NHS, Covid symptoms can include:
If you suspect you have Covid, avoid contact with other people and go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature.
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