DUBLIN: The HSE portal will open on Thursday for registration for the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15, and the first vaccinations for this age group are expected to be administered this weekend.
Dr Lucy Jessop, director of public health at the HSE’s National Immunisation Office, said that consent from one parent or legal guardian will be required for vaccinating children.
Jassop expects a strong uptake in this age group because she believes there is a lot of enthusiasm among parents about vaccinating their children before they return to school.
Children will be vaccinated with either Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines through vaccination centres, GPs and pharmacies. Each child will require two doses over three to four weeks, Jessop said.
She said that no new safety concerns were raised when these vaccinations were administered among 12 to 15-year-olds. According to her, the majority of children in this age group recover well from coronavirus. However, she also noted that there have been rare incidents of children being admitted to hospital or ICU, and that some children can develop Long COVID.
More than 6 million doses have been administered in Ireland so far, with 77% of the population fully vaccinated.
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