The World Health Organisation’s Advisory Group has issued new recommendations on the use of additional Covid vaccine doses.
Dr Kate O’Brien, the WHO’s vaccines director, said the group was advising that people who have weaker immune systems “should receive an additional dose” of whichever WHO-approved vaccine they received first.
This will produce an even greater immune response to protect the most vulnerable people from severe effects of the virus, avoiding hospital admission, and death.
Dr O’Brien said the third vaccine will not be considered a booster and should be administered one to three months after the first dose.
During a press briefing, she also insisted that this latest recommendation only applies to those who are immunocompromised, and does not apply to healthy, younger adults who have normal functioning immune systems and no underlying conditions.
Here in Ireland, over 40,000 additional Covid vaccine doses have been administered so far.
The latest rollout began nationwide on September 27 and started with those living in long-term residential care facilities over the age of 65.
It is also being given to anyone in Ireland over the age of 80 who is considered at risk of severe infection.
Anyone over the age of 12 that is considered immunocompromised will also be given the option of an extra dose of a Covid vaccine.
