All people aged 18 and over to be offered a Covid-19 booster vaccine

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Booster doses should be given no sooner than three months after people have had their second dose. Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

All people aged 18 and over in Northern Ireland are to be offered a Covid-19 booster vaccine as part of efforts to tackle the spread of the new Omicron variant.

It comes as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended the phased extension of the booster programme to all adult age groups.

Booster doses should be given no sooner than three months after people have had their second dose of an original vaccine – shaving three months off the current six-month wait, according to the JCVI.

It comes as early evidence suggests that higher antibody levels may protect better against the variant.

Health Minister Robin Swann confirmed the major expansion "in light of the emerging situation with the Omicron variant."

He said: "Our vaccination programme will continue to pull out all the stops to bring booster doses to all eligible age groups as quickly as possible.

"Our booster programme will now in many ways mirror the primary dose vaccination programme which steadily moved its way down through the different age groups over a number of months."

A number of Health Trust vaccination hubs and clinics will be opening in the coming days, which will complement the ongoing vaccination work of GPs and local pharmacies.

  • Patricia Donnelly, Head of Northern Irelands Vaccination Programme, explains the latest on the booster rollout

The Trust vaccination clinic details are listed below.

South Eastern Trust

Ulster Hospital and Lagan Valley Hospital vaccination centres are open for walk-ins and booking appointments for boosters and first and second doses of Pfizer for all eligible age groups. Clinics will also be held this weekend in Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick

  • Ulster Hospital:

    • 0900 - 1930 Monday to Thursday

    • 0900 - 1600 Friday to Sunday

  • Lagan Valley Hospital, Primary & Community Care Centre:

    • 0930 - 1900 Monday and Wednesday,

    • 0930 - 1600 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

  • Great Hall, Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick:

    • 0930 - 1530 Saturday and Sunday only

Belfast Trust

Royal Victoria Hospital vaccination centre is open for walk-in vaccinations and bookings between 8.30am and 6pm every day.

  • Belfast Central Fire Station, Ormeau Avenue, facing the Gasworks:

    • 1000 - 1800 Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December

Walk-in vaccinations available for:

  • First dose Pfizer: age 12 +

  • First & Second dose Pfizer: age 16 +

  • Boosters: age 40 +

Southern Trust

  • Rushmere Shopping Centre, Craigavon:

    • 1200 - 2000 Tuesday 30 November

    • 1400 - 2030 Thursday 2 December

    • 1400 - 2030 Friday 3 December

  • Staff Vaccination Clinic, St Luke’s Hospital, Armagh:

    • 0930 - 1730 Wednesday 1 December

    • 1000 - 1700 Saturday 4 December

  • Newry Leisure Centre:

    • 1200 - 2000 Thursday 2 December

  • Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown:

    • 0830 - 1700 Friday 3 December

  • The Junction, Dungannon:

    • 0930 - 1730 Sunday 5 December

Western Trust

  • Templemore Sports Complex, Derry/Londonderry

    • 1 December to 14 December

  • Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen

    • 1 December to 14 December

  • An Chroi Community Centre, Hillcrest Road, Waterside, Derry/Londonderry

    • 15th December to 21 December

  • Omagh Leisure Centre, Omagh

    • 15th December to 21 December

Centres will be open seven days a week, 0900 to 1630 each day except for Mondays and Thursdays when they will instead open 1200 - 2000 to facilitate evening appointments.

Bookings are now live for all centres. Walk-ins will also be facilitated at each site.

Northern Trust

The Northern Trust vaccination centre at Seven Towers Leisure Centre is open this week for bookings only, 0900 to 1700, Monday to Sunday (closed 1230 - 1300).

Next week they are changing hours to offer evening clinics, so it will be 1200 to 2000 Monday to Friday and 0900 to 1700 Saturday and Sunday.

For more information: