HSE Winter Vaccination Programme Underway for Flu and COVID-19

The HSE West and North West winter vaccination programme is underway with the rollout of the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

The HSE recommends that everyone aged 60 and older, alongside individuals aged six months and older with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems, receive both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines this winter. Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated due to an increased risk of severe flu complications during pregnancy. Healthcare workers and children aged two to 17 years are also advised to receive the flu vaccine.

Both vaccines are available free of charge from participating GPs and pharmacies for eligible individuals and can be administered during the same appointment. For adults aged 65 and older, an enhanced flu vaccine is available to provide a stronger immune response and better protection against flu-related hospitalisation compared to standard doses. For children aged two to 17, the needle-free nasal spray flu vaccine is available free of charge through participating GPs and pharmacies, with some children also able to access it via school-based programmes.

To reach vulnerable populations who cannot travel easily, HSE vaccination teams are administering flu and COVID-19 vaccines directly to residents in nursing homes and other residential care facilities, as well as to housebound individuals. Dedicated vaccination clinics are also operating across the country to accommodate healthcare workers.

Last winter in Ireland, nearly 5,935 people were hospitalised with laboratory-confirmed flu, while more than 2,000 people required hospitalisation for COVID-19. In the West and North West region specifically, 1,335 people were hospitalised with flu and 305 with COVID-19, with the majority of these severe cases occurring in individuals aged 65 and older.

Individuals looking to check their recommended vaccines can visit www.hse.ie/covid19vaccine and www.hse.ie/flu, call HSELive at 1800 700 700, or consult a participating GP or pharmacist.