Boosters are currently available for healthcare workers and people over 50.
Simon Harris is in favour of increasing the rollout of booster vaccines across the country.
The former Minister for Health and current Minister for Further and Higher Education made the comments on The Week In Politics on RTÉ.
“Yes, we should boost the booster campaign, and everything that can be possibly done to achieve that will be done,” he said.
“We’re on target to have 1.5 million people receive their booster by Christmas, and this week we’ll see an updated roadmap on boosters published by the Department of Health”.
When asked to clarify whether this included over 40s and children done before the New Year, he shared his enthusiasm to make it so.
“So I want to wait until we have the plan, but I think we’re very eager to move ahead with people above the age of 40, but it’s very important we check how that can be operationalised best, and obviously now we also have plans in relation for a vaccine programme for children, so this is the week that we’ll see the updated plans for the booster vaccines,” he clarified.
“I would also make the point, because I know that a lot of people are worried about walk-ins and queues and the likes. I mean, it is important to bring this back to first principles.
“If you’re eligible for a booster vaccine, you will received an appointment. The walk in centres are an additional way to get as many people boosted between now and Christmas.”
According to Harris, the report this week should detail the quickest way to provide boosters to those who are eligible.
“At the moment, the booster campaign is open to everyone over 50. We’d love to be more ambitious in that regard obviously, because it is a race between the Omicron variant and the booster.
“While we’re learning an awful lot about this new variant, it does seem incredibly encouraging the news about the benefits of that third dose in relation to this variant.”
4,667 cases of Covid were confirmed in Ireland today.
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