O’Brien welcomes NIAC recommendation to offer vaccines to 12-15 year olds

 
Local Minister and TD for Dublin-Fingal, Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the recommendation of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be offered to those aged 12-15.
Minister O’Brien said there had been a number of parents, particularly those of children with underlying conditions, who had highlighted the need for their children to be vaccinated. He said this latest development would offer parents some peace of mind.
Commenting he said, “The European Medicine Agency (EMA) has given the green light for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be used in 12-15 year-olds. NIAC considered the EMA approval and recommended to Cabinet that the vaccine rollout be extended to those aged 12 and upwards. NIAC conducted focus sessions with children and their parents ahead of making their recommendation.
“A lot of preparatory work has been done over recent weeks and the NIAC recommendation will be implemented without delay. The uptake of vaccines here has been phenomenal and Government are doing all we can, along with our fantastic vaccination teams, to make the vaccination rollout as quick and as seamless as possible.
“That we are now in a position to open up vaccination centres for walk in appointments for those over the age of 16 is testament to the efforts of the public health and vaccination teams across the country,” he concluded.