Autumn Covid booster vaccine to be rolled out in Northern Ireland

The Covid booster programme will be rolled out from Monday September 19.

The details were revealed in a letter from the Chief Medical officer Sir Michael McBride to health trusts. 

The jab will be offered in the first instance to residents and staff in care homes, frontline health workers, all adults aged 50 and over and people who are in a clinical risk group.

Other cohorts will include people aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression, and people aged 16 to 49 years who are carers.  

The vaccines will be given by GPs, Community pharmacies and a small number of health trust run vaccination centres.

Health officials have stressed the need to protect those most at risk from further waves of Covid-19 infection coupled with a more severe flu season than normal.

They also expect a high uptake of the booster to help reduce GP consultations, unplanned hospital admissions, and pressure on Emergency Departments.