What: Mobile Covid-19 Vaccination Unit - walk-in clinic
Where: Mayor Square (front of NCI)
When: Thursday 6th April, 10am to 6pm
If you never got around to getting a Covid-19 vaccination or it is over 6 months since you were vaccinated (or sick with Covid-19) and you’ve just been too busy to make the time to get a booster, we have good news for you! A mobile vaccination unit will set up in front of NCI on Mayor Square next Wednesday.
You don’t even need to make an appointment, just walk in! For those who need it, a seating area will be provided in the atrium as a post-vaccine resting area. Remember to wear clothes that make it easy for you to roll your sleeve up fully, and this essential piece of personal healthcare will run all the more smoothly.
All you need is:
• your PPS number,
• photo ID that has your date of birth,
• your contact details.
If you do not have a PPS number, you will need to bring proof of address.
You can find all the details of the information you'll be asked for on the day (including what is acceptable as proof of address) on the HSE website.
Why get a booster?
At time of writing, 159 people are in hospital with Covid-19, 22 people are in ICU, and there were 27 deaths from Covid last week. It is thanks to vaccination that numbers are not higher. It is thanks to vaccination that Ireland was able to lift the restrictions it had in place. Vaccination hugely reduces the likelihood of a Covid infection leading to hospitalisation or death.
Immunity, either from vaccination or after recovery from a dose of Covid-19, wanes over time. Boosters literally ‘boost’ your immunity, ensuring that you are still protected from severe illness.
What about afterwards?
Millions of people all around the world have received multiple Covid-19 vaccines with no ill-effect, only the benefit of additional protection against disease.
Serious side-effects are exceptionally rare, and you will be given information on the day as to what to watch out for. In fact, before ever you are given the booster, you will be asked some general health questions to ensure you are not at high risk.
If this is your first Covid-19 vaccination, you will be asked to rest for 15 minutes afterwards, in the seating area in the atrium of the college.
In some circumstances, usually if you have had an allergic reaction in the past (not just to medicines: to insect bites, certain foods, etc.), you will be asked to rest for 30 minutes after your booster.
More commonly, some people find their injection arm feels heavy or sore, or a little itchy. It is common also to experience a high temperature at some point in the 48 hours after a booster vaccine. The general advice for either pain or high temperature is to take paracetamol or ibuprofen, following the instructions on the packaging.
It is probably a good idea to prepare for the worst and buy a pack of paracetamol or ibuprofen in advance, and maybe take some before going to sleep on Wednesday night (again, please read the instructions on the packaging); perhaps also be ready to have a quieter day on Thursday. Other sensible advice is to drink plenty of fluids.
Keep in mind that this temporary discomfort is a lot less disruptive than even the mildest case of Covid-19, which still requires you to self-isolate for 5 days, even if you feel better.
How long will this all take?
Worst case scenario, from once you start the paperwork at the front of the clinic through to the end of a 30-minute rest period should take no more than 45 minutes – which means best case scenario, you’re in and done in 15 minutes!
However, how long it takes does rather depend on the queues for the walk-in clinic – maybe bring a friend, so you can chat while you wait, and compare post-booster side-effects afterwards?
Again, one thing is sure, it will take a lot less time to get the vaccine than you would lose to even the mildest illness with Covid-19 (minimum 5-day self-isolation period), so consider this a time investment!
You can find all the information you require about the Covid-19 vaccine at the HSE website.