The Minister for Health has appealed to all healthcare workers to get the flu vaccine so that both they, and the patients in their care, are protected.

Launching the 2017/18 seasonal influenza vaccination campaign, Minister Simon Harris also urged patients to ask any healthcare worker who is looking after them whether they have had the vaccine, adding that this ‘is their right'.

Flu is a highly contagious illness that kills between 200 and 500 people in Ireland every year. It is particularly dangerous among older people. Flu season usually lasts from October to April and experts have predicted that this year's flu will be particularly dangerous.

People in at-risk groups are urged to get the vaccine as early as possible. These include healthcare workers, anyone over the age of 65, pregnant women and anyone with a chronic health condition such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma.

This year's seasonal vaccination campaign is focusing on increasing uptake by healthcare workers.

"Significant progress was made during the last influenza season, with average flu vaccine uptake among healthcare workers rising from 22.6% to 31.9% and 14 hospitals exceeding the 40% national uptake target, compared to seven in 2015-2016.

"However these figures are still far too low and we need to do much better. We need to significantly increase flu vaccine uptake among healthcare workers," commented Minister Harris.

He also appealed to all organisations who represent healthcare workers 'to come out in support of this very important public health campaign'.

This year's seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three common flu virus strains that are expected to be circulating based on advice from the World Health Organization.

The flu vaccine is free of charge to all those in at-risk groups. If you do not have a medical card or GP-visit card, you may have to pay a fee for having the vaccine administered.

For more information on the flu vaccine, click here