[ad_1]
New advice on vaccinating children over 12 will be given to the government next week, with ministers pushing for children with underlying diseases to be prioritized.
The National Immunization Advisory Committee (Niac) is expected to provide further guidance next week on whether 12 to 15 year olds should receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
Some government sources believe that Niac could take a conservative approach along the lines of what authorities have taken in Britain. In the UK, children will only get a Covid vaccine if they are over 12 and extremely vulnerable, or live with someone at risk.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has reportedly asked if children with underlying illnesses can be prioritized, which will require careful consideration.
It is understood that if Niac decides to recommend a broader vaccination program for 12 to 15 year olds, beyond the one in place in the UK, appointments could be set up in a matter of weeks.
Parental consent would be necessary and a specific information campaign would be organized by the government.
Sources also said the vaccine portal is expected to open next week for those who are 16 and 17 years old.
The European Medicines Agency on Friday gave the green light for the use of the Moderna vaccine in children aged 12 to 17 and said studies had shown no new side effects of the vaccine in children.
Booster program
Meanwhile, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has started to determine how a Covid-19 booster vaccination program could be rolled out over the winter.
High-level sources involved in the vaccine rollout believe a booster program will likely take place, possibly in November or December, although no decision has yet been made. Any decision should be informed by advice on the usefulness of boosters, as well as potentially mixing different shots.
Meanwhile, new guidelines for the hospitality industry were being finalized on Friday evening before restaurants reopened indoors from Monday.
Pubs and restaurants have been told that they will have to take the contact details of each customer, which angered stakeholders.
While a customer was already required to provide their vaccination certificate as well as a photo ID, each customer will now also have to provide their contact details for tracing purposes. The government has decided that each entrance to an establishment will have to be staffed.
Ahead of Monday’s reopening, Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Martin wrote to Mr Donnelly asking if the new indoor hosting plans could be transferred to the live events sector.
“I am actively looking for a reopening but of course, under the current circumstances with Delta [variant], we must also be careful.
While 1,386 other confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the state, the Department of Health has warned of the risk of misinformation surrounding Covid-19 vaccines hampering the public health effort.
Misleading
Urging people to think carefully before sharing material online, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the spread of false, inaccurate and misleading information “has undermined vaccination efforts in many countries, prolonging pandemic and putting lives at risk “.
More than 800 social media posts “potentially harmful to people’s health or deliberately containing misinformation on a range of health topics, including vaccines” have been reported by the HSE to social media since February, a report said. spokesperson for the HSE.
Measures were also being rolled out to ensure these high rates continued among communities deemed more reluctant to get the jab based on international data, she said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said there was an “infodemic” in tandem with the pandemic, adding that the government was working with public health doctors to combat disinformation through “various channels,” including Nphet press briefings, media interviews and content on its own social media channels.
Source link
