A plan to offer Covid-19 vaccinations to children aged five to 11 will be published within days, the Taoiseach has said.
On Wednesday, the National Immunization Advisory Committee (Niac) recommended to Government that jabs should be offered to around 480,000 primary school children.
The State’s vaccine advisory body signed off on their use, with the roll-out expected to take place from next month.
The dose for this age group will be lower than those given to adults.
The Department of Health and the HSE are now making plans to work in the new age group into Ireland’s vaccine program.
Micheál Martin said that an information plan will be published in days.
“Niac have now made recommendations around the administration of pediatric vaccines,” he told the Dáil.
“They have recommended the following – that children aged five to 11 years with an underlying condition, living with a younger child with complex medical needs, or living with an immunocompromised adult should receive the Pfizer vaccine.
“This should be offered in parallel with booster doses for those with an underlying condition.
“The Department of Health and the HSE are now working on a plan involving the information campaign, and we will do that and be back in a number of days with a plan.”
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said that it is “another positive step forward” in the country’s response to the pandemic.
“As the country continues to experience a high incidence of disease, we have seen a significant increase in confirmed cases of Covid-19 in this age group,” Mr Donnelly added.
“While we know that most children will experience a very mild form of this disease if they pick it up, for a small few, they may become severely ill.
“Extending the possibility of vaccination to this age group offers another layer of protection to our children, and to those around them.”