Massive queues at vaccination centres as booster jabs made available for over-40s

The HSE has confirmed that the gates at the vaccination site in Swords have been closed as there is an estimated 900 people in the queue there.

Biblical queues have formed at the Citywest centre in Dublin since early this morning. The centre only opened at 8.30am and staff are now turning away people as walk-in capacity has been reached.

The site at Simonstown GAA club in Navan has been closed until 1pm as the current queue time is between three and four hours.

People are being advised to return for a booster jab at the Galway racecourse tomorrow, as the carpark is full and the wait time is an estimated two hours.

Three hour delays are expected at the HSE Shoreline site in Greystones Co Wicklow, while those queuing for boosters in Offaly and at the Abbeycourt Hotel in Co Tipperary will have to wait for up to one hour.

It comes as on Friday the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that the booster programme would open for the over 40-year age group from this morning, as the country tries to outrun the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

Tweeting this morning, the Country’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan wrote: “Remember vaccines/boosters protect against severe disease. They keep people alive and out of hospital. True of Delta and will be true of Omicron. Get boosted as soon your turn comes.”

The opening times and location of the HSE vaccination centres which are open today are as follows:

Carlow

- Woodford Dolmen Hotel: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers 2pm to 5pm

Cavan

- Kilmore Hotel: Boosters for 50 to 69 year olds 10.00am to 12.30pm, healthcare workers 10am to 12.30pm (over 30), 1.30pm to 5pm (under 30 only), Dose 1 and 2 1.30pm to 5pm.

Clare

-West County Hotel: Boosters for over 40s 1.30pm to 7pm

Cork

- City Hall: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers over 30 8am to 8pm

- Mallow: Boosters for over 40s 9.15am to 4.15pm

- Bantry: Boosters for over 40s 9.30am to 4pm, Dose 1 and 2 9.15am to 4.15pm

Donegal

- Letterkenny: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers 9am to 7pm

Dublin

- CityWest: Boosters for over 40s 8.30am to 12.30pm. Walk-in capacity has been reached for today.

- National Show Centre: Boosters for over 40s, healthcare workers and dose 1 and two: 8.15am to 11.15am, 12.40pm to 4pm, 5.20pm to 7.10pm. The gates have been closed as capacity has been reached.

Galway

- Galway Racecourse: Boosters for over 40s 8.30am to 2pm. People are being advised to return tomorrow as long queues have formed.

Kildare

- Punchestown Racecourse: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers 9am to 12pm

- St. Fintan’s Campus: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers over 30 9am to 6pm

Limerick

- Scoil Carmel, Limerick: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers 8.30am to 7pm

Mayo

- Breaffy House: Boosters for 40 to 49 year olds 8.30am to 1pm, 2pm to 7.45pm, Boosters for 50 to 59 year olds 9.30am to 1pm, 2pm to 5.15pm

Meath

- Simonstown GAA Club: Boosters for 40 to 49 year olds 8.30am to 6.30pm. Site closed until 1pm as capacity has been reached.

Monaghan

- Glencarn Hotel: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers over 30 9.30am to 12.30pm, 1.30 to 5pm

Offaly

Offaly Vaccination Centre: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers 9am to 3pm

Roscommon

Roscommon VC: Boosters for 40 to 49 year olds 8.30am to 1.30pm, 2.30 to 7.30pm, 50 to 59 year olds: 2.30 to 7.30pm

Sligo

- Sligo Racecourse: Boosters for over 40s and healthcare workers 8.30am to 7.30pm

Tipperary

- Abbeycourt Hotel: Boosters for over 40s 8.30am to 7pm

Waterford

- Waterford IT: Boosters for over 40s 8.15am to 4pm, healthcare workers 8.15am to 5.15pm

Westmeath

Westmeath Community Vaccination Centre: Boosters for over 40s 2pm to 6pm, healthcare workers over 30, 2pm to 6pm

Wexford

-Astro Active Centre: Boosters for over 40s 3pm to 7pm, Healthcare workers: 3pm to 7pm, Dose 1 and 2, 3pm to 7pm

Wicklow

- Shoreline Leisure Centre

Boosters for over 40s 8.30am to 12.30pm, 2.30pm to 6.30pm