Parents are being urged to consider getting the flu vaccine for their children, as the free vaccination programme rolls out to all those aged between two and 17 from Monday.
Chief Medical Officer Breda Smyth visited Trinity Primary School in Tuam, Co Galway, ahead of the rollout next week.
All children aged two to 17 are now eligible for the flu vaccine as part of the 2023/2024 seasonal flu vaccination programme.
The CMO was joined by members of the HSE's schools vaccination team to administer nasal flu vaccinations (LAIV) to 24 children in Senior Infants.
Professor Smyth spoke to children and their parents, to explain the importance of the vaccine and how it protects them, as well as people around them, from the flu virus.
She said: "Vaccines are the best means of protection available for us and for those who are vulnerable in our communities. When combined with measures such as hand washing, coughing, or sneezing into our elbows and staying at home when sick, the risk of contracting serious illness is reduced and the burden on our health services is reduced.
"As we head towards the peak of the respiratory virus season, there is now a small window of opportunity to increase vaccination levels and to boost protection against flu."
Professor Smyth is urging all parents to consider the vaccine for their child before the number of cases and hospitalisations begins to rise significantly.
She said uptake for children has been low at just over 15% last year and is currently at around 11% this year.
"Based on modelling from last year’s flu season, we can expect the number of cases to begin to rise substantially in the next week or two so timely uptake of the vaccine is very important"
"I am urging everyone who is eligible to make an appointment for their flu vaccine today. Some groups of people are also eligible for a Covid-19 booster that can be administered at the same time. I would also like to remind healthcare workers that free flu and Covid vaccines are available in healthcare settings and at walk-in vaccination clinics."
Children who missed out on the flu vaccine in school can still get it through GPs and pharmacies.
