Getting tested for COVID-19: From January 3rd people who
have symptoms of COVID-19,and are aged 4 to 39 should use antigen
tests in the first place. You can book free antigen tests online from the HSE. You also need to
self-isolate (stay in your room). There is a high risk you could spread the virus. If you have a positive
antigen test, you should then book a PCR test from the HSE to confirm the result.
This advice does not apply to people who
have higher risk health conditions or healthcare workers. Read more about testing for COVID-19 here https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/testing/get-tested/
COVID-19 vaccination for
children aged 5-11: COVID-19 vaccine
registration is now open for children aged 5-11. A parent or legal guardian will need to give consent for
their child to get a COVID-19 vaccine. To register and give consent, visit our website: https://vaccine.hse.ie/cohort/
Read information and advice on the COVID-19
vaccine for 5-11 year olds here.
Read the information leaflets for parents
and guardians here.
5 to 11 year olds will be offered a Pfizer
COVID-19 vaccine with a smaller dose. The immunity they get will be similar to the higher dose vaccine
used in older age groups. Children in this age group cannot get vaccinated at a walk-in vaccination clinic
or pharmacy.
COVID-19 vaccine booster: People aged 16 and older can now get a
COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.
If you are 30 or older, there are 4 ways to
get your booster dose:
- book an appointment at
a vaccination centre - book an appointment
with a participating pharmacy - go to a walk-in booster clinic for your age group
- wait for your appointment to get a
booster at a vaccination centre – we will send you a text message, you do not need to register
If you are aged 16 to 29, you can:
- book a vaccination
centre appointment at
a clinic for your age group - book an appointment with a participating pharmacy
You may also be able to get your booster
from your GP.
- Online self-scheduler for COVID-19
booster vaccine: People can now book their own booster
appointments online at many vaccination centres through the HSE website here.
Public Health Measures
You can find the public health measures here.
COVID-19 Testing
Full details of how to get tested are available here.
People aged 4 to 39 with symptoms: If you have symptoms of COVID-19, and are aged 4 to 39 you should use
antigen tests in the first instance. Do not book a PCR test. You can book antigen tests online from the
HSE. Only book 1 kit per person.
People aged 40 and over with symptoms: If you are aged 40 or over and have symptoms of COVID-19, book a PCR test. Do not book antigen tests.
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include high
temp, dry cough and change in sense of taste or smell. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, it’s very
important to self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible. Please do this even if you are part or fully
vaccinated against COVID-19. You can find more information here.
Close contact of a person that tests
positive for COVID-19
If you are a close contact of a person that
tests positive for COVID-19, please find guidance here.
If you test positive for COVID-19
If you have a positive (detected) result on
an antigen test or a PCR test you should self-isolate
(stay in your room). There is a high risk you could spread the
virus to others.
Read information on antigen testing and
what to do if you receive a positive result here.
Read information on what to do if you
receive a positive result on a PCR test here.
COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
You can find the latest information on
vaccines administered here.
Find a pharmacy giving COVID-19 vaccines
Many pharmacies are now offering COVID-19
vaccines to people aged 12 and over. Find a pharmacy to book your vaccine appointment. You can find more information here.
Where to find COVID-19 Vaccination
Information
We encourage everyone to read about the
COVID-19 vaccine and to get their information from a factual, trusted source – here are the links to the
pages with information on the vaccine:
- Check here for information about the vaccine,
information on this page is updated regularly - Find the vaccine information materials
at https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/covid-19-resources-and-translations/covid-19-vaccine-materials/
- Details on COVID-19 vaccines
administered are available here - Read the full
COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy - Read the National Immunisation Advisory
Committee Chapter about COVID-19 vaccine - COVID-19
vaccine information for health professionals - Information in Irish Sign
Language: information resources on the COVID-19 vaccines in Irish Sign Language are available here - COVID-19 vaccines easy read and
accessible information formats are available here - Translated resources are available here
Free flu vaccine for all at-risk groups
It’s flu season and while anyone can catch
the flu, some people are more at risk of catching the flu, getting seriously ill or needing hospital
treatment. The HSE encourages all at-risk groups to make an appointment with their GP or Pharmacist for
their free flu vaccine. People at risk include those aged 50 or over, children aged 2 to 17, people with
certain long term conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers. It’s the best way to be protected
from the flu. Find a participating pharmacy.
Keep well this winter
Information is available here including:
- Your guide to keeping well this winter
- How to manage common illnesses
- Advice on when to get emergency help
Minor injuries
Injury units are for the treatment of minor
injuries that are unlikely to need admission to hospital. So of it is a sprain, break or minor burn, head
to your local injury unit. You can find more information here.
The HSE phone number for all queries in
relation to medical cards, GP visit cards, Drugs Payment Scheme and Long Term Illness scheme has changed
The HSE phone number for all queries in
relation to medical cards, GP visit cards, Drugs Payment Scheme and Long Term Illness scheme has changed.
Please call 0818 22 44 78 to make enquiries.
Minimum unit pricing on alcohol
Minimum unit pricing on alcohol has been
introduced. This sets a minimum price for a gram of alcohol, meaning it cannot be sold for less than that
price. You can find out more about minimum unit pricing here here.
Needing support for grief?
If you, or a loved one, are grieving or
bereaved and need some extra help at the moment, the HSE and Irish Hospice Foundation have information and
support available, which are outlined in our article in thejournal.ie
Public Health Information
For updated information
and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c36c85-covid-19-coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and
professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on https://www.hpsc.ie/ where you’ll find up to
date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.
Please check here for the most up to date partner resources
for COVID-19.
You can find translated resources here.
You can find the COVID-19 A-Z information
here from the
HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
Please also check the Healthy Ireland site here with further resources and information on
the Keep Well campaign.
You can view the latest information on how
Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.
Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub is available here.
