The COVID-19 Vaccination Service Spring Booster Campaign will run until 16 June. As part of this campaign, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommends a spring COVID-19 booster vaccine for:
- those aged 70 years and older;
- those living in long term care facilities for older adults; and
- those aged 5 years* and older with immunocompromise associated with a suboptimal response to vaccination**.
All patients who have been flagged as immunocompromised within the Covax system have been sent an SMS text message advising them to avail of a vaccination in their GP, local pharmacy or Community Vaccination Centre (CVC). Please note that not all patients currently flagged as immunocompromised in the Covax system were immunocompromised at the time of primary vaccination. As a result some of these patients will not have received an extended primary course (“additional dose”). This will make identification of these individuals at a pharmacy level difficult and as such, these,, will not be easily identifiable in the HSE Pharmavax system as the information relating to their current immune status (where immunocompromised) is visible only in Covax system.
When a patient presents in the pharmacy and indicates that they currently fall into the category of having immunocompromise associated with a suboptimal response to vaccination** it is possible to check if this has been recorded in Covax by ringing the HSE data quality team on (01) 240 8786. If confirmation of immunocompromised status is provided by the data quality team, and the patient fulfils all other inclusion criteria, then you can proceed to administer the spring booster in the pharmacy in line with national guidance.
The HSE advised in Circular NCO-17-2023 if eligible patients come forward for a Spring booster after 16 June, then clinical discretion should be used to assess the risk, benefit and impact on Autumn booster timing before administering a Spring booster.
Outside of the Spring booster programme, certain cohorts can get their COVID-19 vaccine at any time of the year. These include:
- those who are due any COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, including primary courses and any booster; and
- individuals getting their primary course, additional dose*** or first booster.
*COVID-19 vaccinations are only provided through Community Pharmacy to those aged 12 years and older.
** For further information see NIAC Immunisation Guidelines Chapter 5a: COVID-19 (and Table 5a.2: Underlying conditions associated with very high risk or high risk of severe COVID-19 disease), Chapter 3: Immunisation of Immunocompromised Persons and HSE information on weak immune system for the members of the public.
*** Additional doses are provided by CVCs and GPs. This is not operational at Community Pharmacy level.
