Tag Archives: influenza

The Department of Public Health Mid-West has moved to make the public aware of an increasing incidence of influenza in the Mid-West region in recent weeks. Flu season starts in October and ends in April according to the Deprtment, and the Mid-West trend is similar to what is taking place around the country. Latest data suggests that the flu is now circulating in the community, and rates may rise more quickly in the coming weeks due to socialising in the Christmas season. A spokesperson said the Department is advising people to avail of the flu vaccine in order to reduce the risk of severe illness. “We are currently experiencing an earlier flu season, and we are concerned about the combined impact of COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other respiratory viruses. “This will add increased pressure on hospitals and General Practice with increased attendances from patients who are ill. We are concerned about the negative and disruptive impact on healthcare settings e.g. …

PRESSURE will increase on already stretched GP-services as a flu vaccination scheme is extended from the middle of next month. While the move to offer free vaccination to children aged between two and 12 has been welcomed in a bid to avoid a second wave of Covid-19 coinciding with an upsurge in flu, concerns have been voiced about the knock-on impact on other services. “If, as we expect, over half a million children are to get flu vaccinations from mid-October, that will mean that hundreds of thousands of appointments will be taken up,” she noted. “Children will have to be Covid-screened before vaccination and monitored afterwards. There is no way that this won’t have a knock-on effect. People will have to wait long for other services and we’d ask them to remember that this for the common good. Children rarely get very sick with flu and this measure is part of a plan to protect older and more vulnerable people …