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Walk-in flu vaccine clinics available for children around the country until Friday

The highest number of influenza cases this flu season have been in older adults and children up to 14 years of age.

THE HSE IS advising parents that free flu vaccine clinics for children are open around the country today.

It comes in the wake of a recent report that found the highest number of influenza cases this flu season have been in adults aged 65 years and older and children up to 14 years of age.

38 walk-in flu vaccination clinics are open today, tomorrow and Friday for children from the ages of 2-17 for free nasal flu vaccines. 

In a statement, Consultant in Public Health Medicine with the HSE’s National Immunisation Office Dr Aparna Keegan said: “We encourage all parents to avail of these walk-in clinics as we expect flu numbers to rise over the coming weeks.”

“With increased socialisation at this time of year the risk of contracting flu becomes greater,” Dr Keegan said.

Children are more likely to contract and pass on flu and can become seriously ill as a result.

“Vaccinating children protects them – and their siblings, parents, grandparents and those who are vulnerable.”

Symptoms of flu in children can include high temperature, muscle pains, headache and extreme tiredness.

The latest data released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre showed identified that there were 631 officially-confirmed flu cases in the week ending 17 December — more than double the 283 cases that were recorded the previous week.

Since October, 1,457 confirmed flu cases have been reported to HPSC. 454 confirmed influenza cases have been hospitalised during this flu season.

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    Mute sleepy joe
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    Dec 27th 2023, 3:25 PM

    Keep your jabs

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    Mute Tezmond McVicar
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    Dec 27th 2023, 3:37 PM

    @sleepy joe: They’re not jabs. If you’d bothered to wake from your sleep and read the article you’d know that.

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    Mute D Farrell
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    Dec 27th 2023, 1:23 PM

    If some of the parents, pointlessly commenting on FF v SF v FG politics here, instead brought their children to the free flu vaccine clinics today (or tomorrow), the HSE would be better able to cope with unavoidable accidents.

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    Mute bruce banner
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    Dec 27th 2023, 1:14 PM

    So… Upping the chance to spread covid just to use up surplus flu jabs.. Seems counter productive.

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Dec 27th 2023, 12:58 PM

    Could the journal post the list please
    Or a link even?

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Dec 27th 2023, 1:01 PM

    @John Mcmahon: found it thanks

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    Mute Wombleman
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    Dec 27th 2023, 5:50 PM

    I wonder if we would be allowed have a referendum on restricting some peoples access to the internet?

    If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the usual conspiracy nonsense then you are officially blocked and barred from any kind of internet access – this will help you by not allowing you to be hoodwinked into believing any other utter rubbish and it will help society by preventing you from spreading your tripe.

    Before anyone says I’m being a fascist etc I’m proposing a fair referendum where the will of the people decide the outcome – if the looneys win then I’ll accept that I live in a country of looneys (I really doubt they will though, thanks be to God!!)

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