Covid-19 vaccine registration has opened for all children aged five to 11, the HSE has announced.
The HSE said parents can register their children on its vaccine portal, with appointments expected to be offered soon after registration. The jabs will be given at vaccinaton centres.
Up until now registration was only opened for children at higher risk.
Parents will need their child’s PPS number , Eircode, a mobile phone number and an email address. Alternatively, parents can call HSE Live on 1800 700700 to register their child over the phone.
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Children who don’t have a PPSN can be vaccinated, their parents can register them on the phone with HSElive. Once a parent registers their child, they will receive a text message with details of their appointment.
In a statement the HSE said “clinical trials showed that this vaccine was highly effective at preventing covid-19 in children. Though serious illness from Covid-19 is rare in this age group, they are even less likely to become seriously ill with Covid-19 if they are vaccinated. All vaccines are tested before they are approved for use in Ireland by the European Medicines Agency.”
The HSE said parents have questions and concerns and "should get their information from a trusted source, such as hse.ie or a medical professional when making the decision to vaccinate their child". The HSE has detailed benefits and risks on its websitehere. The HSE has also published a child- friendly comic about the vaccine .
Children will be offered a Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccine which is a smaller dose than for adults . They will need a second dose three weeks later. It said protection is similar to Pfizer for adults.
The HSE said parents or legal guardians will need to give consent or their child to get the vaccine which will be sent to them before the appointment. Children will need to be accompanied by an adut.
Registration for vaccination is at: vaccine.hse.ie/under-16
Over the weekend, the vaccine booster programme opened up to those aged 16 to 29.
Turnout was steady on Monday morning at the Co Monaghan vaccination centre at the Glencarn Hotel in Castleblaney. Among those turning out to get jabbed was 12-year-old Leo McGeough, who was accompanied by his mother Amy Rooney as he went to receive his second dose.
Ms Rooney told the PA news agency: “It was very nice, they made him feel very comfortable. We booked it in. It was very quick. “This time last year we would have had Covid. I suppose, like a lot of families now, we were quite affected by it. “We’re determined not to have it this year. But we got through it. It’s very hard to see it affecting so many people, especially young people.”
Leo added: “It was quick. It did sting, but it was OK. “Honestly, I’m excited for school just to see my friends. I just miss with playing with them.”
Ms Rooney added: “That (school closures) was the hardest part of last year. We’re hoping not to go back to that again.”
Monday saw a further 16,986 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the Department of Health said. As of 8am on Monday, there were 804 patients in hospital with the disease, an increase of 87 on the previous day, with 93 in intensive care, up six. - –Additional reporting PA