- Plan ahead to keep you and your family well this Winter
- HSE advice and information available here
This mid-term the HSE is providing handy tips and advice on keep well this winter. By knowing how to protect you and your family, how to manage common illnesses, and where to go when you do need help will make it that bit easier when you do get sick. This is a good time of year to get organised and to make sure you are ready for all those colds, flus and viruses.
We think a bit more about our health over winter, with more viruses and bugs circulating. Children, older people, pregnant women, people with a disability, and those with a long-term illness are particularly affected and the health service is here for you and your family, from routine appointments to urgent care.
Dr Edel Doorley, HSE GP Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control (AMRIC) Advisor said: “After mid-term we start to see an increase in colds, RSV, flu and other viruses. The good news is there are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your loved ones against respiratory viruses starting from this week.
“Use the coming weeks to check you are up to date on vaccinations and limit contact with people with symptoms. We recommend this HSE website page - https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/common-illnesses/ - to our patients for managing common colds, coughs, flu and earache that do not need an antibiotic and it’s a great resource for patients.”
HSE tips and advice on staying well this winter
Prevention is always better than the cure. We know that it is better to ward off future illnesses and complications from existing conditions than deal with them when they have happened. There’s plenty that you can do to keep well, protect your health and mind yourself and your loved ones. It’s good to prepare a checklist for wellness this winter:
- Make sure you are registered with a GP, check out the GP finder here
- Know your urgent GP out-of-hours arrangements and contact details
- Get vaccinated, this is the most effective way of preventing infections - Covid-19 Vaccine if you are 50 and over, immunocompromised and have long term health conditions. A booster vaccine is recommended during pregnancy. The flu vaccine is recommended if you are 65 and over. The children’s flu vaccine for 2-12 year olds is also available now. The pneumococcal vaccine (PPV23) which protects against pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis is also available free of charge from participating GPs for people aged 65 and older. Vaccines for these people are free and available from the GP and pharmacy. Use the HSE pharmacy finder for vaccine clinics here
- Understand your medicines and ensure you have what you need
- The best advice with regard to injuries this winter is to avoid unnecessary risks if possible. If it is cold and icy, stay indoors
- Understand your symptoms and keep well, visit common illnesses
- Avoid people with any obvious symptoms and stay at home if you have symptoms yourself.
Be prepared - Know where to go
Despite our best efforts, some of us will become ill over the winter. Depending on your illness, there are a number of treatment options open to you. Being prepared and knowing where to go will mean that you will get treated more quickly and will ease pressures on the healthcare system.
- Visit your local pharmacy for advice and treating the common cold
- Contact your family doctor as necessary
- The GP out-of-hours service is a high quality clinical service for urgent care
- Emergency departments treat seriously ill patients. Those with less severe injuries and symptoms may have to wait to be seen in emergency departments
- Injury units treat injuries that are unlikely to need hospital admission. For example, broken bones, dislocated limbs, sprains and minor burns. Find out more about injury units here.
Injury units can treat
- broken bones to legs, from knees to toes
- broken bones to arms, from collarbone (clavicle) to fingertips
- all sprains and strains
- minor facial injuries (including oral, dental and nasal injuries)
- minor scalds and burns
- wounds, bites, cuts, grazes and scalp lacerations (cuts)
- small abscesses and boils
- splinters and fish hooks
- things stuck in eyes, ears or nose
- minor head injuries (fully-conscious patients, who did not have loss of consciousness or vomit after the head injury).
Treating at home
You do not need an antibiotic if you have a viral infection. Antibiotics cannot treat viruses. Children will probably get a lot of respiratory illness this winter. Most can be managed at home with over-the-counter medicines.
You should:
Viral infections are very contagious. They can spread quickly before you notice the symptoms. It can be difficult to stop them spreading to people who are vulnerable. Most of the time you do not need to visit your GP. But trust your instincts. Bring your child to your GP if you are worried about them.
Useful tips for patients and families
- Stock the medicine cabinet: paracetamol, ibuprofen, nurofen, dioralyte and a thermometer
- Patients who may need regular prescriptions are urged to get them filled on time
- People are advised to check their first aid boxes are well stocked to treat minor illness and injuries
- People should also check the HSE website for useful advice on common illnesses such as colds, coughs, flu, earache and sore throats
- If you are caring for someone that is terminally ill, please have medicines that are recommended by your palliative care team or GP for situations that could arise.
Visit How to keep well this winter for health information and advice from the HSE, including tips for eating well, exercise and physical activity, and minding your mental health over the coming months.
Keep an eye on your social feeds on Instagram @IrishHealthService, Twitter @HSELive and Facebook facebook.com/HSElive for information on your local injury units and other HSE winter season related news #COVIDVaccine #FluVaccine #InjuryUnits #MyChild
Last updated on: 27 / 10 / 2023
