A portal is now open for everyone who is eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine this winter.
That includes people aged 50 to 64, pregnant women and healthcare workers.
HSE National Lead for the Test, Trace and Vaccination Programme Eileen Whelan told Pat Kenny new vaccines have been approved for use.
"The European Medicine [sic] Agency approved new, adapted vaccines this September, and the National Immunisation Office approved those adapted vaccines for use in Ireland starting this week on the 3rd of October.
"The international evidence is indicating that these new adapted vaccines are used as a booster, and they provide a broader range of protection for people who have had their primary vaccination - and provide a strengthening protection for strains of the new virus," she said.
A booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine is administered in October 2021. Picture by: Bob Daemmrich / Alamy Stock PhotoShe said this will work for both the original COVID strain and the more recent Omicron variant.
Everyone getting any booster will get the latest version.
"Everybody in the eligibility groups who is now entitled to a booster - whether it's your first, your second or your third booster - you will now get the bivalent adapted vaccine."
Who can get it?
People over-65 are entitled to an adapted vaccine, but this could also have other advantages.
"That group of people have the best opportunity of getting their vaccine at their GP or their pharmacy, because they will also... have the opportunity to have the flu vaccine at the same time.
"Should they choose, they can certainly get their COVID-19 vaccine in the large vaccination centres.
"People who are immunocompromised, likewise, are entitled to both vaccines and they can go to any of the centres, but GPs and pharmacies are administering both the flu and the COVID-19 vaccine together."
She added: "The portal is open now for anybody in the eligible groups to register... they don't have to wait any longer in their sequence".
People can register at hse.ie
Flu vaccine
A free flu vaccine is available to:
- People aged over-65
- Children aged two to 17
- Anyone with an underlying medical condition
- Healthcare workers
- Pregnant women
- People who are in regular contact with pigs or poultry
COVID hospitalisations
Meanwhile newly-appointed Chief Medical Officer, Professor Breda Smyth, has urged the public to be prepared for winter.
There were 405 confirmed COVID-19 cases in hospital on Wednesday morning - an increase of 23% from 329 cases last week, and by 74% from 233 cases on September 14th.
There has been an average of 60 new COVID-19 hospitalisations per day seen in the last seven days.
Breda Smyth is seen in April 2020 at a briefing of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) in the Department of Health. Picture by: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ieNot all COVID-19 cases in hospital have been admitted due to their infection.
As of September 27th, approximately 70% of cases hospitalised for COVID were aged 65 years and older.
Of these, more than one-in-four had not completed their primary COVID vaccine course - and approximately two-in-five had not yet received any booster vaccine.
People with any symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate until 48 hours after symptoms have substantially or fully resolved.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly earlier announced that Prof Smyth was appointed as CMO at the Department of Health.
Prof Smyth has been interim CMO since July this year.
The Department of Health said she is taking up the role "on a three year secondment from her position with the HSE".
