The UL Hospitals Group, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare, and the Department of Public Health Mid-West is urging everyone eligible for a COVID-19 booster dose, and those who have yet to receive their first dose, to do so as soon as possible through any of the HSE walk-in clinics, local GPs, and pharmacies.
Public Health Mid-West believes that there will be a significant increase in COVID-19 infections across every pocket of society as a result of Christmas social activity and the emergence of the Omicron variant.
For this reason, we also encourage everyone to limit social activity and social contacts in the coming days in order to reduce the risk of household outbreaks this weekend.
Those who are at highest risk of serious illness are the unvaccinated, and those who are elderly, vulnerable, and immunocompromised who have not received their booster. Booster and full vaccination will offer you best protection against infection, serious illness, and hospitalisation.
Mixed vaccination, also known as heterologous vaccination, is safe. Those who availed of the AstraZeneca and single shot Janssen (adenoviral vector vaccines) can safely receive a booster mRNA vaccine, with either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, as soon as they are eligible.
Dr Rose Fitzgerald, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, said: “I urge anyone over the age of 12 who has not yet had a COVID-19 vaccine to get one as soon as possible. While vaccination uptake rates in Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary are high there is evidence of waning immunity among those who were vaccinated more than six months ago. Since this August, we have recorded serious illness and deaths among fully-vaccinated elderly and medically vulnerable people in the Mid-West. This is why booster doses are especially important for the elderly and those who have chronic diseases or weak immune systems.”
Irene O’Connor, UL Hospitals Group, General Manager of the Mid-West COVID-19 Vaccination Centres, said every effort is being made to create opportunities for people to get vaccinated or receive their Booster dose prior to Christmas, and she urged the public to continue to check the HSE website for clinics that will be added.
Ms O’Connor said: “We’ve increased walk-in COVID-19 booster clinics for those aged 40 years and older, and for anyone who has not had their Dose 1 or Dose 2 vaccine. Our permanent relocation of the Clare Vaccination Centre to the West County Hotel, Ennis, from this Wednesday, December 22nd, will immediately triple that centre’s capacity for walk-in clinics.”
“Between today (Tuesday) and Thursday December 23rd, a total of nine walk-in clinics are running across the three vaccination centres, in Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh, with details available at here on the HSE website. Anyone who is eligible either for Primary Dose 1 or 2, or a Booster Dose, will be able to attend the appropriate walk-in clinic in any of the three vaccination centres, regardless of their county of residence.”
“We urge anyone who is eligible for Dose 1 and 2, or a Booster Dose, to attend the appropriate walk-in clinic, get vaccinated, and keep themselves, their families and communities safe from the threat of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, and continued prevalence of the virus’s Delta variant.”
Maria Bridgeman, Chief Officer, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare is also encouraging everyone to take all precautions that can protect them, and their loved ones, from COVID-19.
“Vaccinations and boosters offer strong protection against the virus and we urge everyone who is eligible for a vaccine to come forward. It is also important that people continue to follow all public health guidelines, including getting tested for COVID-19. Testing will be conducted at our Centres in Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh throughout the Christmas period. As walk-in testing is not available, people who require a COVID test are asked to book their appointments online via www.hse.ie.”
“While waiting for your test results, it is important that you self-isolate, even if you have been fully vaccinated.”
Further information, and the link to book a test, is available via https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/testing/get-tested/