The HSE is encouraging people who do not usually avail of a flu vaccine to get the jab. “They’re devising regional plans [and] identifying areas of low uptake – identifying groups where there’s low uptake and focusing resources and maximising uptake in those groups and those areas." The flu vaccine is being indicated among this cohort, as opposed to workers being asked to get both flu and covid jabs. Dr Henry described the rollout of RSV vaccine to newborn babies in hospital last year as a “very positive story”, with 85 per cent uptake. This year, the health service has expanded the vaccine programme to babies aged up to six months as of September 1st.
