Healthcare workers encouraged to get booster vaccine after slow uptake

Vivienne Clarke

The HSE’s national lead on vaccination, Eileen Whelan has repeated a call to healthcare workers to get their booster vaccine and for anyone eligible for the booster to get the Covid-19 spring booster which will be available from next week.

The people that fall into that category of high risk are anybody over the age of 70 years of age.

That includes people who are living in residential care settings and also people from five years of age upwards who have a weak immune system, Ms Whelan told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

Also included are people who have a diagnosis of cancer, and may be on chemotherapy or other adjuvant therapies. It includes people who have had transplants, anybody who has chronic kidney disease and who might be receiving dialysis.

It also includes people who are on high dose steroids or maybe people who have an underlying hereditary condition that has weakened their immune system.

“This booster is a spring booster, and we're encouraging people who are eligible to come forward and to either present to their general practitioner or their local pharmacy where they will receive appointments from their general practitioner.

“They can also go online, and they can book an appointment in their local vaccination clinic. The people who are eligible are anybody who has had their last Covid-19 booster in the last three months. Anybody who's had a Covid infection in the last three months and once they come forward and book their appointment, there will be no problem. Appointments are readily available.

“We're encouraging people to come forward in the month of May because this group of people will also be entitled to an autumn booster and they would receive their autumn Covid-19 booster when they receive their flu vaccine. And if they come forward during the month of May, it allows an appropriate interval for them also to get their autumn booster”.

Ms Whelan added that the eligible group “most importantly” includes health care workers.

“Health care workers are now prioritised for one booster in the year. And pregnant women, as always, are a priority to maintain their immunity.

"A person can get their booster at any stage during their pregnancy. It's specifically recommended between weeks 20 and 34. But anybody who's pregnant should be up to date with their boosters”.

At present “only 27 percent” of healthcare workers have received their second booster vaccine.

"That was disappointing, said Ms Whelan. “Particularly coming into autumn and winter when we saw the Covid numbers rising and when there was high numbers of patients in hospital that were Covid positive.

“It's really important that healthcare workers boost their immunity because they're more at risk of getting infected, because they're working in an environment where there is high numbers of people with Covid cases.

"So it's important that healthcare workers protect themselves, but also that they protect the vulnerable patients in their care.

“We have looked into the reasons why that happened and even that the number is 77,000 people who have received their Covid 19 vaccine. We see that 140,000 health care workers got their flu vaccine. So the question is, why would there be a difference with health care workers getting one versus the other?”

Data and modelling indicated that 12 percent of healthcare workers at any time were Covid positive which would exclude them from getting the booster vaccine, she explained.

“But there was the potential that up to 25 percent of health care workers at various different points in time could have had Covid.

"We have engaged with health care workers because of the high importance of this, and it's going to be really important next autumn, winter that all healthcare workers avail of the booster”.

While new variants might appear to be less virulent, she said, there were still people being admitted to hospital with Covid, with 226 Covid positive patients at present.

“So it's really important that healthcare workers protect not just themselves, but the people around them”.