Tipperary pharmacies and GPs can give now give booster vaccines to anyone with an underlying condition, those aged between 50 and 59 and healthcare workers of any age.
This is part of the accelerated programme, which aims to see 300,000 people a week vaccinated.
There was a lot of confusion yesterday, when it was incorrectly put out that those in their 30’s and 40’s would be included at pharmacies now.
However GPs vaccinating their own patients will be allowed to give boosters to people aged 16 and above, but will prioritise older age groups.
Fethard pharmacist Jimmy O’Sullivan told Tipp Today that there has been a big demand for the booster jabs, but that the misinformation didn’t help matters.
“For us, we actually opened our appointments last Monday morning at 9 o’clock, so I was here at 8 o’clock, so we took 300 appointments between 8 o’clock and 11 o’clock – completely took every single vaccine out of our system, we’re completely booked out until between Christmas and the New Year.
“It has been crazy, so yesterday just added to the confusion and whatever, you know.
“It has been very stressful and I suppose it’s a very busy time for the pharmacy as well.”
He added that while the vaccination uptake is good, there are still a lot of people contracting Covid.
Jimmy stressed that someone who has had Covid cannot get a booster for six months, while someone who was unvaccinated and had Covid, should get the first two doses and the booster to have full protection.
