Nine out of 10 people under 30 vaccinated against Covid-19 received most recent dose a year ago

Nine out of 10 people under 30 who are vaccinated against Covid-19 received their most recent dose more than a year ago, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

In contrast, 37 per cent of vaccinated over 70s had received a dose in the last three months. In April this year, the Health Service Executive offered over-70s, along with other vulnerable groups, a further round of booster shots.

Further to this, the number of children aged between five and 11 who are fully vaccinated remains low across the State, with Buncrana in Co Donegal having the lowest vaccination rate among children at 4 per cent. Other areas of Donegal also had low uptake rates, with Carndonagh and Lifford-Stranorlar returning vaccination rates of 5 and 6 per cent respectively.

Belmullet, in Co Mayo, also had a rate of 6 per cent.

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Healthcare workers

Stillorgan in south Dublin had the highest uptake among five- to 11-year-olds, according to the new stats, at 56 per cent.

The uptake of a second Covid-19 vaccine booster was also slow across the State.

Last year, the HSE offered a second booster shot to those aged between 18 and 65 or older, healthcare workers, those aged 12 or older at high risk of serious illness from the coronavirus, and residents of long-term care facilities. It was also recommended for pregnant women at 16 weeks or later who had not already received a booster vaccine in their current pregnancy.

The new statistics from the CSO show that in Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart, 11 per cent of those eligible for a second booster shot took up the offer, the lowest rate nationwide. Tallaght South and Buncrana also had low levels of uptake, at 12 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

The highest uptake of the second booster shot was in Rathfarnham-Templeogue, with a rate of 41 per cent.

An analysis of data, taken from the Revenue PAYE modernisation system, showed that as of June 30th, 84 per cent of employees in Ireland were fully vaccinated. A total of 56 per cent had received the first booster shot, with 21 per cent taking up further boosters.

Looking at workers’ nationality, 96 per cent of Irish employees had received one booster shot. Of workers from the 13 countries who have joined the European Union since 2007, 47 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Booster shots

Nearly all of the country’s healthcare workers, 98 per cent, had received at least one booster shot.

Other rounds of booster shots offered by the HSE have had varying levels of uptake.

The programme for a third booster shot, launched by the HSE in October 2022, had its highest uptake in Rathfarham-Templeogue (16 per cent). This booster was offered to people aged 65 years and older, those over 12 or older with a weak immune system, and for those aged between 12 and 64 with a condition that puts them at high risk of serious illness from Covid-19, if their second booster dose was not a bivalent vaccine.

The uptake of a fourth booster, available to those over 70 and people over 12 with a weak immune system, had a high of 8 per cent in Dundalk-Carlingford.