Covid Booster: How long after having Covid can you get the booster vaccine and why do you have to wait?

The Covid vaccine programme has been accelerated across Northern Ireland, with over 3,593,453 people receiving the jab so far.

All adults over the age of 18 are now eligible for the booster vaccine and clinics across Northern Ireland have helped excelerate the roll out in the wake of the omicron variant.

You are eligible for your booster vaccine at least three months after your second dose but if you have recently tested positive for Covid, you will need to wait.

Here's everything you need to know about how long you have to wait to receive your booster after testing positive for Covid.

How long do you need to wait to have the booster?

If you have recently tested positive for Covid, you will need to wait before having your Covid booster.

NHS guidance recommends that you will need to:

Wait four weeks if you're aged 18 years old or over

Wait four weeks (28 days) if you're aged 12 to 17 years old and at high risk of Covid-19

Wait 12 weeks (84 days) if you're aged 12 to 17 years old.

After waiting the four week period you will then be able to access your Covid vaccine or booster jab.

Why do you need to wait after testing positive for Covid?

You have to wait for four weeks to get your vaccine after having Covid to allow time to recover from your Covid symptoms.

It is also important to wait, so then you know what symptoms are from your Covid infection and what might be side effects from the vaccine.

Where can you get a Covid booster in Northern Ireland?

You can book in for your booster here, alternatively walk-in vaccination clinics are in operation this week, with times and locations outlined below.

Booster clinics are being rolled out by health trusts, you can find out more about where to access a booster below.

Belfast Trust

You can find out more about Belfast Trust booster clinics here.

Northern Trust

You can find out more about the Northern Trust booster clinics here.

South Eastern Trust

You can find out more about South Eastern Trust booster clinics here.

Southern Trust

You can find out more about the Southern Trust booster clinics here.

Western Trust

You can find out more about the Western Trust booster clinics here.

Community pharmacies where you can get your booster

If you are aged over 30 and had your second vaccine dose three months ago, you are able to get your jab at a local community pharmacy.

The pharmacies where you are able to access a booster are outlined here, appointments must be made in advance.

More from the News Letter:

Why is AstraZeneca not used as a Covid booster vaccine - and can you have a Pfizer booster after an AZ jab?

How to do a lateral flow test, what does a positive Covid test look like - and how accurate are they?