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30th Jul 2021

Aged 16 or older? Here’s everything you need to know about getting your COVID-19 vaccine

Ann Cronin

Brought to you by the HSE

As COVID-19 vaccines are now available to everyone over the age of 16, here’s what you need to know…

With the vaccine rollout now well underway, you might be wondering what your options are.

As it stands, over 85% of the adult population in the Republic of Ireland have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 70% of the adult population are fully vaccinated. All COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe and will protect you from severe illness from COVID-19, and it couldn’t be easier to register for one.

To register online at hse.ie, all you need is:

  • A mobile phone number
  • An email address
  • Your PPS number
  • An Eircode

If you don’t have any of this information, you can register by phone at 1800 700 700.

 

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You’ll get the details of your vaccine appointment by text 3-7 days before your vaccine. Your text will tell you when and where you’ll get your vaccine, and the type of vaccine you’re getting. The text will also include a link with further information about the vaccine you’ve been offered.

Walk-in vaccination clinics

The HSE will be operating walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics over the bank holiday weekend, from Friday 31 July until Sunday 2 August. These clinics are offering dose one of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and you can attend if you are over the age of 16 and have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine.

You can find your local walk-in clinic here.

Regardless of whether you’ve registered for a COVID-19 vaccine or not, you can still attend the walk-in clinics. You can attend a clinic anywhere, it does not have to be near your home and you do not need to register in advance or book an appointment to attend. All you need to do is check the opening times and locations of the walk-in clinics before attending.

You will receive an appointment for your second vaccine dose by text message, about three weeks after your first dose. You’ll be invited to the clinic closest to your home but you can choose a different location if you wish.

If you’ve already registered for a COVID-19 vaccine online, all you need to bring with you to the walk-in clinic is photo ID. If you haven’t registered, you’ll be ask to produce the following at the walk-in vaccine clinic:

  • Photo ID
  • Your PPS number, if you have one. If you don’t have one, bring a proof of address instead.
  • Your Eircode
  • Mobile phone number
  • Email address

Already registered somewhere else?

If you’re aged 18-34, and you’ve already registered with a pharmacy but you’re still waiting for your vaccine, you can also register on hse.ie or go to a walk in clinic.

Attending your vaccine appointment

Unless you’re going to a walk-in clinic, you’ll receive a text telling you which vaccination centre to attend and what time to be there. It’s a good idea to arrive on time too, to help the staff and volunteers keep things running smoothly and to ensure no vaccines go to waste.

You’ll need to bring ID with you, and you should attend your appointment alone unless it’s absolutely necessary you bring someone. Don’t forget to wear a mask too!

In the meantime…

COVID-19 is still spreading so, while you’re waiting for your vaccine, take extra precautions to keep yourself and everyone around you safe:

  • Wash your hands
  • Keep your distance & avoid crowded places
  • Cover coughs or sneezes
  • Wear a face covering
  • Meet up with people outdoors if possible and indoors, let fresh air into your home by opening windows and doors as much as possible

If you want to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines, you can find all the information you need at hse.ie.

COVID-19 vaccines are already working, bringing hope to our communities. People aged 16-69 can now register for a COVID-19 vaccine on hse.ie. All COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe and will protect you from severe illness from COVID-19. If you have questions about your COVID-19 vaccine visit hse.ie for answers you can trust. The more people that are vaccinated, the better it will be #ForUsAll

Brought to you by the HSE