People at high risk set to receive third Covid vaccine soon

The HSE has confirmed that a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine for those who are deemed high risk will get underway from next week.

People will begin to be notified of their appointments from Wednesday and the administration of the third dose of the vaccine stars on Friday.

HSE CEO Paul Reid said contact would be made with people who are deemed at highest risk, saying that risk would be determined by clinical teams.

"It will be a period of five to six weeks to complete this programme," he said, adding that it will be complex with it focused on the most vulnerable and immunocompromised.

He said identifying the most at-risk would not be a simple process as it is not a list that they can "take off the shelf" but is rather a "complex piece of identification".

"It does address people who are highly immunocompromised, organ recipients, renal patients, certain cancer patients and certain people on certain medications," Mr Reid said.

He said if people are not contacted it is likely they are not in that highest risk category.