The updated advice was announced by the Health Minister last night.
The wait time between a second Covid-19 vaccine and a booster jab has been reduced from five to three months.
Details were announced last night by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, following new NIAC advice.
It comes as the Chief Medical Officer warns the Omicron variant now accounts for 11 percent of Covid cases here - up from less than one percent a week ago.
Dr. Christine Loscher, Professor of Immunology at Dublin City University, says reducing the timeframe between second and third doses is positive:
📢 I have this evening accepted a recommendation from NIAC that the gap between completion of primary schedule of COVID-19 vaccination and a booster dose will be reduced to three months. Boosters will continue to be offered in the priority order previously recommended. pic.twitter.com/W394WqjG74
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) December 13, 2021
Hundreds of health staff are to be redeployed to administer vaccines in the coming weeks in a bid to accelerate the booster programme.
The Irish Times reports opening hours at mass vaccination centres will be extended and boosters may be provided in more GPs and pharmacies in response to the Omicron threat.
The details are set to be included in an updated HSE vaccination plan, which's expected to be published tomorrow.
Professor of Immunology at Trinity College Dublin, Mullingar's Kingston Mills, says a booster greatly enhances a person's protection against the Omicron variant:
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