The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has welcomed the decision to extend vaccine boosters to healthcare workers.
It follows advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee. It's recommended that all healthcare workers should get a third vaccine dose.
Pfizer or Moderna will be offered, regardless of the initial vaccine course.
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly says the vaccinations will begin to be rolled out at the weekend. It comes as almost 3,500 health staff are out of work due to covid related illnesses.
A spokesperson for the INMO said;
"This decision was made later than we would have liked. We now need to see a rapid rollout of the vaccine boosters to healthcare workers to make up for lost time. The vaccine supply and capacity to do so is there."
Protest
It comes as student Nurses are to hold a demonstration in Dublin today, to highlight their poor treatment during the pandemic.
They say Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has refused to publish an independent report reviewing allowances for student nurses and pay rates for 4th year students, on paid internship placement.
