Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has confirmed that the gap between the second and third Covid-19 vaccine doses has been reduced from five to three months.
It could mean an accelerated booster jab rollout, as those who received their second Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccine in September are now eligible to receive the booster dose.
Previously, they were forced to wait at least five months after their second dose before they were eligible to receive a booster.
Mr Donnelly made the announcement on Twitter on Monday evening, saying that he had accepted the recommendation by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).
He wrote: “I have this evening accepted a recommendation from NIAC that the gap between completion of primary schedule of COVID-19 vaccination and a booster dose will be reduced to three months.
“Boosters will continue to be offered in the priority order previously recommended.”
Meanwhile, the HSE and the Government are expected to publish a fresh Covid-19 booster programme this week in a bid to get 1.5 million people boosted with a third dose before Christmas.
The plan will outline when and how children aged between 5 and 11 years will get their jabs and the HSE will also include the timeline for when people in their 40s will get their third dose.
The booster campaign has to date been extended to all people aged over 50.
