Patients are being told to stay away from their GP for the next month, unless they have an urgent problem.
It’s to allow them to double the amount of Covid boosters they do every week, under an accelerated programme.
Local GP Dr Tadhg Crowley has been telling KCLR that while it is frustrating for patients they need to do this to prevent the entire health system from potentially collapsing.
GPs vaccinating their own patients will be allowed flexibility to give boosters to people from the age of 16 upwards but will prioritise older age groups.
Meanwhile up to 1 thousand pharmacies will be involved in the booster programme in the coming weeks – with nearly 700 already signed up.
Yesterday morning the HSE said they could give jabs to all over-16s, but this was a mistake.
It only applies to over-50s.
Vaccine centres will also be open longer hours, and the 15-minute wait time after a jab has been scrapped.
