This simple guide to COVID-19 vaccination for at-risk children aged 12 to 15 outlines the benefits of vaccination, who is eligible, potential side effects and what to do next. You should read this before your vaccination.

PHA urges use of Digital Self Trace as Ministers visit Contact Tracing Centre

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has welcomed Junior Minister Gary Middleton and Health Minister Robin Swann to the Contact Tracing Centre (CTC) in County Hall, Ballymena. During the visit, both Ministers met many of the contact tracers who have been working to help keep the public safe throughout the pandemic, as well as meeting with Aidan Dawson, Chief Executive of the PHA, Andrew Dougal, Non-Executive Chair of the Board of the PHA and Dr Elizabeth Mitchell, Director of Contact Tracing. Aidan Dawson, Chief Executive of the PHA, said: “The public can still play a big part in helping to stop the

In September 2019, the Department of Health published a new suicide prevention strategy for Northern Ireland known as Protect Life 2. 

Continue to follow public health advice when in healthcare settings

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is advising that people must continue to follow public health advice when in healthcare settings due to the increase in case numbers we are currently seeing across Northern Ireland. Rodney Morton, Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at the PHA, said: “As we move forward Trusts and health and care services begin to implement plans to reinstate face-to-face outpatient appointments, elective procedures and to offer inpatients the opportunity to have visitors, which is an important part of the patients health, wellbeing and recovery, but we must

Now is the time to get your COVID vaccine, it has never been easier

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone over the age of 18 who has not yet had their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to do so now, as it’s never been easier. Vaccine uptake is an important means of securing protection against COVID-19 infection. Currently over two million doses have been administered in Northern Ireland since the Department of Health launched the vaccination campaign at the end of 2020, helping to save lives and protect a great many others from serious illness. Maurice Meehan, Head of Health Improvement (Northern area) at the PHA, said: “Getting the vaccine has never

Be alcohol safe this Twelfth of July

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding anyone choosing to drink for this year’s Twelfth of July that despite it not being the same as other years, nothing has changed when it comes to alcohol. The main message is to keep an eye on your alcohol intake by making a plan of setting a sensible limit and sticking to it. Davis Turkington, Senior Health and Wellbeing Improvement Officer with the PHA, said : “Many will be making plans to celebrate the Twelfth and we are encouraging them to keep an eye on their alcohol intake should they choose to drink. “We understand that it has been a long 16

Surveillance quarterly reports for C.difficile and S.aureus track the incidence, prevalence, and trends of these infections overtime within Northern Ireland.

This PDF publication is for those who may be worried about getting their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

PHA issues summer COVID complacency warning

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging people to stick to key public health advice and exercise caution over the coming days and weeks, particularly with regards to social gatherings. The PHA is aware of a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases emanating from a number of social events in North Down and East Belfast attended by young people last week, but with cases likely to follow in the next few weeks in South Belfast, Hillsborough, Comber, Bangor and the Ards Peninsula through previous and new social links. The PHA is continuing to investigate the circumstances and deploy control measures to