FLU VACCINATION FOR PATIENTS AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 64 YEARS AND CHILDREN AGED FROM 6 TO 23 MONTHS WHO MEET THE FOLLOWING HSE CRITERIA
Patients who are aged between 18 and 64 years and 6 months to 23 months and who are considered to be at increased risk of influenza-related complications will receive the QUADRIVALENT (QIV) vaccine and you can read the detailed patient information about this vaccine by clicking here. The vaccine will be administered free of charge to patients in this age group, regardless of whether you hold a Medical Card, Doctor Visit Card or are a private patient.
Children between 6 months and 23 months in this category will usually be vaccinated in the hospital / through their Outpatient specialist clinic. If your child is in this category, please contact the hospital clinic first to check if your child will be vaccinated there.
Patients must have a confirmed diagnosis or fall into a specific category listed below to be eligible to receive this vaccine. The categories are:
- Chronic Respiratory Disease (including COPD, cystic fibrosis, moderate or severe asthma and bronchopulmonary dysplasia).
- Pregnant woman – at any stage of pregnancy.
- Chronic Heart Disease.
- Chronic Renal Failure.
- Chronic Liver Disease.
- Chronic Neurological Disease.
- Immunosuppressed (due to disease or treatment including all patients with active cancer diagnosis).
- Household contacts or home carer to persons with increased medical risk*.
- Diabetes Mellitus.
- Morbidly Obese (BMI 40 or over).
- Haemoglobinopathies.
- Patients with conditions that compromise respiratory function (e.g., spinal cord injury, seizure disorder, other neuromuscular disorder), especially those attending day centres / special schools.
- Resident of a nursing home or other long stay facility (patients will be vaccinated in their care facility).
- Children and adults with Down Syndrome.
- Children with severe neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy and intellectual disability.
- Children on long-term aspirin therapy.
- Carers (Out-of-home carers – those providing a significant level of care the home to a person with an underlying chronic health condition or Down Syndrome).
- People in regular contact with pigs, poultry, or waterfowl
- Healthcare workers
* Please note that only household contacts or carers of people who have an underlying chronic health condition or have Down syndrome are eligible to receive an influenza vaccine. A carer is described as someone who is providing an ongoing significant level of care to a person who is in need of care in the home due to illness or disability or frailty i.e., those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance. Household contacts of people aged 65 years and older, pregnant women, children aged 2-17 years or of healthcare workers (who do not also have a chronic health condition), are not eligible for the influenza vaccine.
If you are in this age group and are in a category listed above which makes you eligible for vaccination, you can make an appointment by contacting Reception. Appointments are subject to vaccine availability and clinical capacity and if we do not have an appointment available for you this week, we will take your name for the Waiting List and will contact you when an appointment becomes available.
We understand that there may be patients who have received a flu vaccine in previous years and who do not fall into the categories set out by the HSE for this year’s flu programme. Unfortunately, we have no control over the categories who are eligible for the flu vaccination this year; as previously stated, these have been decided by the HSE at national level. Please do not book an appointment for a flu vaccination if you are not eligible as per the detailed lists above, as you cannot be given a vaccine.
At this time, the only source of flu vaccines is the HSE, and these vaccines must be given in line with the national criteria. If private supply becomes available for patients who do not meet the eligibility criteria above, we will update the website to let you know.
Please do not book an appointment for a flu vaccination if you are not eligible as per the detailed lists above, as you cannot be given a vaccine.
