Labour raises concerns about response to flu outbreak

Labour’s health spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD called for urgent Government statements to be made regarding Ireland’s preparedness for the flu this winter.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“Today alone there are 475 patients waiting on trolleys across the country. All the advice indicates that the flu will actually only peak on Christmas week.

“It cannot simply be left to the healthcare professionals working in hospitals to manage this situation. We need to hear from Government about what proactive steps are being taken to protect people, particularly the young, elderly and vulnerable against the flu.

“We have an utterly incongruous situation in Ireland today whereby you can attend a pharmacy for a free Covid vaccine, but will then have to pay a fee to receive the flu vaccine. Given the vaccine uptake rates are lower than usual this year, we need to see a serious campaign from Government to provide the flu vaccine for free to encourage as many people as possible to take up this first defence.

“We know that 40% of hospitalisations from influenza are from those under 15 years old, yet only 18.2% of this cohort are vaccinated against the illness. What makes this even more concerning is that stocks appear to be running out of the nasal vaccine for children.

“There is too much at stake here, which is why the Labour Party is calling on Government to provide statements in the Dáil to address the issues surrounding influenza care before the Christmas break.”