Uptake of second Covid-19 booster 'too low' amid concerns over new variant

The uptake for the second Covid-19 booster vaccine is "too low" according to Covid-19 Vaccine Programme Eileen Whelan, with the vaccination programme far behind where it should be 

The low levels of uptake for the second Covid-19 booster means the national vaccination programme has not reached the level it should be at to curb the spread of the virus.

Just 31% of people across all age groups have received their second booster. However, health authorities say 75% of vaccine coverage is needed to give wider public health protection. For healthcare workers, the uptake is just 25%.

The low numbers have prompted the HSE to urge more people to get their second booster particularly in light of growing concern over the potential impact of newer strains of Covid-19.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio show, MS Whelan said the uptake figure is “too low”, which she described as a “concern”.

She said the low level of vaccine uptake raises concerns about the potential impact of the Kraken variant XBB.1.5.

This highly transmissible strain was first identified in the United States with the first cases having been identified in Ireland recently. It is expected to become the dominant variant in the coming weeks.

"At the minute only 76,000 people in the 18 to 49-year age group have come forward for their vaccine. We're in its third week. We'd really need to see, at minimum, 60,000 to 70,000 people coming forward per week, and that would be over a 12-week program at minimum to reach a minimum," Ms Whelan said on Morning Ireland.

"People quickly need to decide to come forward and get their vaccine in this age group. They played a huge role in protecting the more vulnerable people in society during the early stages of Covid, and that's critically important, and people are still vulnerable," she added.