Cohort 4a and Cohort 7 GP Vaccination (aged 16-59) – updated 14/04/21

Cohort 4a – late April

From late April, our clinic will be supporting the hospital roll-out of Cohort 4 patients to vaccinate those that do not attend the hospital or have not been invited by their hospital teams and who are aged 16-59 (patients 60-69 will be vaccinated in mass vaccination clinics, registration can be made through the online portal). We will start this process with ‘very high risk patients’ and we have been asked to prioritize patients in the following groups:

• Diabetes where the patient has HbA1c > 58mmol/mol in last 12 months

• Obesity  where patients have a BMI > 40

• Chronic Respiratory Disease where patient is on home oxygen, pre or post transplantation or with a hospital admission related to disease in past year

• Patients with Prader Willi syndrome

Cohort 7 – May

Once Cohort 4a is complete, we will be moving on to the next phase of vaccination in General Practice for patients aged 16-59 with medical conditions that put them at a high risk of severe disease or death.

• Cancer – Haematological – within 1 -5 years, Non-haematological – within 1 year. All other cancers on non-hormonal treatment.

• Chronic heart (and vascular) disease – Chronic heart disease, for example: heart failure, hypertensive cardiac disease.

• Chronic kidney disease – Chronic kidney disease with eGFR <30ml/min.

• Chronic liver disease– for example: cirrhosis or fibrosis.

• Chronic neurological disease or condition – Chronic neurological disease or condition significantly compromising respiratory function and/or the ability to clear secretions, for example: Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy.

• Chronic respiratory disease – Other chronic respiratory disease, for example: stable cystic fibrosis, severe asthma (continuous or repeated use of systemic corticosteroids), moderate COPD.

• Diabetes – All other diabetes (Type 1 and 2).

• Immunocompromised – Immunocompromise due to disease or treatment, for example: high dose systemic steroids (as defined in Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland Chapter 3), persons living with HIV.

• Inherited metabolic diseases – Disorders of intermediary metabolism not fulfilling criteria for very high risk.

• Intellectual disability* excluding Down Syndrome (already vaccinated in Cohort4a).

• Obesity – BMI >35 Kg/m2.

Please note, both of the above groups will be vaccinated with Pfizer vaccine (2 doses, 4 weeks apart), commencing with vaccinating patients in Cohort 4a first then follow up service for Cohort 7.