Three-dose requirement for Covid pass not being examined 'at the moment'
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The Government is not looking to introduce a requirement for three vaccines in order to use the Covid-19 pass, for now.
However, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said while “our understanding of the virus and vaccines is evolving all the time”, science is emerging, which is leading a lot of people to say a third dose will be needed to be considered fully vaccinated.
“What I’m saying is we’ve no plans to do that at all at the moment so you know people don’t need to be worried that they're going to wake up one morning and hear on the news that all of a sudden their Covid pass only works if they have had three doses,” he said.
“That’s not under consideration at all at the moment, but what I am indicating is that as we see the science emerge and as we learn more about the vaccines and the virus, there are a lot more people who are taking the view that this is going to be a three-dose primary course vaccine and people will need a third dose to be fully vaccinated and we’ll move away from calling it a booster towards a third dose. But, in terms of any change to the validity of the vaccine passes, that’s not under consideration at the moment,” he added.
Mr Varadkar said the Government does not want to impose “extreme” restrictions but said further regulations could not be ruled out.
In what will be a controversial statement, Mr Varadkar told reporters that next week’s scheduled cut to the wage subsidy scheme will go ahead.
He said there are no changes planned unless major restrictions are introduced.
Mr Varadkar said that a proposal to subsidise antigen tests could be signed off by the Cabinet either later this week or next Tuesday after it was delayed.
The proposal did not make it to today's Cabinet meeting as officials continue to hammer out the details of the scheme.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris denied that the proposal not making it to Cabinet represents the Government dragging its feet on the tests.
He said that the country has "come a long way" on the tests.
He pointed to the fact that antigen testing began in higher education in June at a cost of €1m.
"The figures that I've just seen today show that in UCD, Trinity College Dublin, NUI Galway, and UCC alone, about 25,000 rapid tests have been carried out free of charge to students and staff."
He added: "We also have a situation where we have close contacts getting free antigen tests from the HSE on a daily basis, anybody who's in close contact receiving three free antigen tests in the post. We know that antigen tests have been used in nursing homes and we know they've been used in meat factories.
"We also know from Monday, they'll start to be used in schools in relation to close contacts.
He said the minister for health is working to finalise the proposals and the Government understands the "need to move quickly" on the matter.
Mr Harris said that testing and booster vaccines were the two things the Government could do in the fight against the latest wave.
“It is my view that a widespread booster programme is inevitable,” he said.
“With the declining case numbers in the over 80s, that is a cause of huge hope and optimism.
“NIAC will no doubt provide more advice, the one I would be very interested to see quite quickly is around J&J, because people that have gotten one dose, there’s growing evidence that they may require a booster shot.”