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AT-RISKS GROUPS like pregnant women and the elderly are be urged by the HSE.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) says that a particularly bad flu season could lead to up to 1,000 deaths in Ireland with some people more at risk than others.
The at-risk groups being specifically urged to get the vaccine include:
The flu and pneumococcal vaccine is free for all those in the at-risk groups although patients may have to pay for the consultation.
Those aged 18 years or older in the at risk groups may attend either their GP or pharmacist for vaccination and those under 18 years should attend their GP.
The vaccine and consultation are free for those who are in an at-risk group and who have a medical card or GP visit card.
During last year’s flu season, the HSE estimates that 55.4% of people aged 65 and over who hold a medical card or GP visit card received the flu vaccine. This was down on the two years previous and well below the World Health Organisation’s target of 75%.
For pregnant women, the seasonal flu vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy and also protects the baby
The flu vaccine for this season protects people against the three most common flu virus strains that are expected to be circulating this years.
The HSE says that reactions to the flu are “generally mild” and that “serious side effects are very rare”.
Dr Brenda Corcoran, head of the HSE’s National Immunisation Office, is also advising people that the vaccine does not give people the flu.
“The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu as it does not contain any live flu virus and all those at risk should get vaccinated as soon as possible this year to make sure that they are protected,” she says.
Further details about flu season can be found on the HSE’s flu website.
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While I have a number of chronic illnesses and have always got the flu jab every year I’ve never actually had it, oh I’ve had loads of serious infections, had pneumonia loads of times, it even lead to sepsis a few times, but never the flu.
I do remember seeing a colleague with it once, I had clocked in with him and a few hours later he collapsed in the canteen, everyone thought he’d had a heart attack. He spent two weeks in ICU with what turned out to be the flu, that man was seriously ill, when I hear people say they had the flu for a few days I think of him.
My daughter has been able to get the free flu jab for the past 10 years. She never got the flu jab until last year and got a nasty dose 1 week later. *though never got the flu before. I had heard lots of rumours about the flu jab giving them the flu…
@Lily: A Doctor on TV3 this morning said that was rubbish!
It’s not rubbish Lily. I know several people who got the flu jab, then got the worst flu of their lives straight afterwards
Well she got a nasty dose 1 week after the flu shot and had to take off a week of school, at least she was in TY and not an exam year. Be it coincidence or not.
Total coincidence. Firstly, when most people say they have the flu, in reality they usually have a cold virus. The real flu usually takes people out of work for two weeks. Secondly, the flu virus immunizes against the prevailing strains. There are many other strains so technically it is still possible to catch one of these even if vaccinated. And finally, the flu vaccine does not cause the flu. Many will have local injection site irritation or maybe have fatigue and feel unwell for a couple of days after (that’s your immune system generating a response to the vaccine), but it does not cause the flu.
@Lily: Firstly I hope your daughter is now well and this experience didn’t put you or your daughter off getting the flu jab.
Like all medications the flu jab can have side effects, these vary from person to person and are usually mild and short lived, most will notice nothing at all. It can’t prevent other viruses, nasty colds and infections. If your daughter got a “nasty dose 1 week later” this obviously wasn’t the flu but another virus she would have acquired at that time anyway but you now associate with the flu jab.
The viruses within it are deceased, pushing up the dasies, no longer living, passed on, left this mortal coil. They are dead and cannot possibly transmit the flu. They are so safe the flu jab can, and has been, given to pregnant women for over 60 years.
It’s know that there are 200 to 500 deaths caused by the flu in Ireland each year and up to 1000 in a particularly severe season, this can be anyone from the healthy to those with pre-existing conditions. Between 7-26% of the 483 people admitted to ICU in Ireland with flu since 2009 were previously healthy people and 73% were aged less than 65 years.
I agree Lily, it could be coincidental but the first year my father was eligible for the free flu vaccination he decided to avail of it. He ended up bedridden with flu for 2 weeks and swore he’d never get the vaccination again!
Kelcia, well with that anecdote the research is settled. Let’s throw the large scale actual research in the bin.
A few corrections
Flu vaccine is free if you are in an at risk group (administration of the vaccine is not free unless you have a medical/doctor visit card)
Flu vaccine administration is free if you have a medical card or doctor visit card, but if you are not in an at risk group then the vaccine itself is not free
Plenty of vitamin D and your grandn
You forgot about the flat 7up
Forget all these old wives tales and medical quackery. Lucozade is the job!
The pint of Smithwicks at Mespil Rd. Pelican House.
Got this flu vaccine some years ago through the job I spend three weeks in bed because of the reaction . Never again got it for a few years until I had a illness and was advised to get it every year I did and have no problems
I got the flu jab when I was pregnant and had to pay for it. I’ve checked into three different pharmacies and they are all charging 20-25 Euro even with a medical card. Where is it free?
@InvaderSkoodge: El Nig just cleared it up
Booths at the Sq shopping with a M C
Only at risk folks should get the jab. If loads of people started to get it then the flu virus will mutate making it harder to combat and then everyone may be at risk of something worse on the back of a flu virus.
You forgot to add your medical qualifications there, Rory. Are you a GP?
@Fiona Fitzgerald: Would that be a dock tor? the clue is in that.
It’s okay he’s checked it out on Dr Google.
Rory also seems to have forgotten that the flu mutates fairly readily, irrespective of the immune response. Otherwise people wouldn’t catch it every year in the first place.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: That’s pretty harsh – perhaps you can show me the error of my comment. I didn’t realise I needed a medical qualification to reply – I am (probably obvious to your keen medical eye) not medically qualified. I was told by my doctor – I find it interesting. The link in the article gives a good list of people the flu jab should be given to. My only addendum to the article was that the flu virus mutates. A vaccine is needed for each major strain. If there are too many strains or there is difficulty in creating vaccine then it will make it difficult to get a vaccine out to those at risk.
Rory you are still incorrect, the flu virus mutates irrespective of vaccination. Getting vaccinated doesn’t change that. You perhaps are creating an analogy with bacteria and antibiotics where exposure to antibiotics can create resistance. This is not the case with the flu virus which rapidly and readily mutates on its own accord. That is why with measles if you catch it once you don’t tend to get it again as it is not frequently mutating. With the flu you catch it once but each time you can be exposed to a different strain and not have immunity.
Cheers John. I appreciate the input. I stand corrected.
The headline for this story is hilarious in its complete lack of trust in the mob’s intelligence
Just had flue and pneumonia injections yesterday but unable to lift my hand this morning and have a terrible pain has any one symptoms like this feeling defeated
Eamon Ryan was vaccinated as a child and look how he turned out
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