Flu Vaccination Programme 2022-2023: Information for Eligible Patients

Adult Flu Vaccines for eligible patients still available at Sirona Medical – please call Reception (after 10am) to make your flu vaccine appointment.

Appointments will become available for registered patients to receive the flu vaccine from the first week of October onwards. Our vaccine delivery is every fortnight and appointments will be made available on a fortnightly basis, as and when the vaccine stock is confirmed for delivery by the HSE.

Vaccination appointments will only be available for those patients who meet the HSE eligibility criteria.

This year, the HSE will provide flu vaccines for patients in two groups:

1. Patients aged 65 and over, patients who are pregnant and patients aged between 6 months and 23 months and those aged between 18 and 64 years of age who are at increased risk of influenza-related complications (See Specified List below).
2. Patients aged 2 to 17 years. Further information in relation to the nasal flu vaccine for this age group will follow in the coming weeks. Please check back to our website News page for details of clinics for children.

Patients in the HSE specified groups above will receive the vaccine free of charge. You will be asked to provide your PPS number to ensure your vaccine is covered by the HSE.

You can see more details about the flu vaccine from the HSE website by clicking here.

Other useful information is available by clicking these links:

• Information about the flu vaccine for people at risk.
• Flu vaccine in pregnancy.
• Flu vaccine for healthcare workers.
• Influvac Tetra – the flu vaccine you will receive at Sirona Medical.

Please read the information below carefully to determine if you are eligible to receive the flu vaccine this year. It is important not to book an appointment for a flu vaccine if you do not meet the criteria below as you cannot be given a vaccine for which you are not eligible.

Please note that as per HSE and national guidelines, ONLY patients in the HSE specified groups will be able to avail of the flu vaccine in this practice. We will not be receiving flu vaccines for any other patients from the HSE and at this time, we are not aware of private supply in Ireland available for other patients.

We understand this may be frustrating for other patients and suggest you contact the HSE or your local political representative to raise this matter with them.

FLU VACCINATION FOR PATIENTS AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER, AND CHILDREN AGED FROM 6 TO 23 MONTHS WHO MEET THE FOLLOWING HSE CRITERIA

Patients who are aged over 18 years and children aged 6 months to 23 months and who are considered to be at increased risk of influenza-related complications will receive the QUADRIVALENT (QIV) vaccine. We have been provided with the Influvac Tetra (QIV) vaccine by the HSE and you should read full details of the vaccine by clicking here before booking your appointment.  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. You will be asked to provide your PPS to ensure the vaccine is covered by the HSE.

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 who are eligible for a flu vaccine are listed below:

• those aged 65 years and older
• healthcare workers
• patients who are pregnant (at any stage of pregnancy)
• patients who are in regular contact with pigs, poultry or waterfowl
• People with these specific health conditions:

1. •  1. chronic heart disease, including acute coronary syndrome
   •  2. chronic liver disease
   •  3. chronic kidney failure
   •  4. chronic respiratory disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, moderate or severe asthma, or bronchopulmonary dysplasia
   •  5. chronic neurological disease including multiple sclerosis, hereditary and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system
   •  6. diabetes
   •  7. Down syndrome
   •  8. haemoglobinopathies
   •  9. morbid obesity – a body mass index (BMI) over 40
   •  10. immunosuppression due to disease or treatment (including asplenia or hyposplenism, and all cancer patients)
   •  11. children with a moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disorder such as cerebral palsy
   •  12. children on long-term aspirin therapy
   •  13. any condition that can compromise respiratory function, like spinal cord injury, seizure disorder or other neuromuscular disorder, especially people also attending special schools or day centres

People who are living in a nursing home or other long-term care facility will be vaccinated in the facility.

The flu vaccine is also available to:

• 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. A carer is someone who provides an ongoing, significant level of care to a person who is in need of care in the home due to illness, frailty or disability.
• household contacts of those with Down Syndrome or household contacts of patients with a chronic underlying health condition listed in 1 – 13 above.

If you fall in to one or more of the categories listed above, you are eligible for the flu vaccination and you can make an appointment by contacting Reception or booking online using the link below. Appointments are subject to vaccine availability and clinical capacity and if we do not have an appointment available for you this week, you can call again next week or ask for your name to be added to the Waiting List for the next clinic.

Please note: household contacts of patients aged 65 years and older who do not also have a chronic health condition, household contacts of pregnant women, household contacts of children aged 2 to 17 years, household contacts of healthcare workers and household contacts of carers are not eligible for a flu vaccine from this campaign.

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.

Covid-19 Booster Vaccines

We have now concluded our Covid-19 Booster clinics – if you are eligible, you can still make an appointment with the HSE vaccines centres or a local pharmacy to receive your Booster. Click here to see details of booking at a HSE vaccine centre.

You can still receive your adult flu vaccine at Sirona Medical if you meet the criteria above for eligibility. Please call Reception (after 10am) for an appointment.

Please note we have now concluded our Covid-19 Booster clinics – if you are eligible, you can still make an appointment with the HSE vaccines centres or a local pharmacy to receive your Booster. Click here to see details of booking at a HSE vaccine centre.