Winter Flu Advice

Levels of flu are now very low around the country, and this year's flu season appears to be over.

The flu vaccine protects against the flu, so people in risk groups, including pregnant women, should make sure they get the vaccine every year - keep it in mind for September 2011.

You can still access our flu advice and previous public information messages below.

Listen to our Winter Flu radio advert

Watch highlights from our Press Briefing on January 20th 2011

Watch highlights from our Press Briefing on January 13th 2011

In the video clip below, Dr. Brenda Corcoran from the HSE's National Immunisation Office tells us more about the Flu and who should get the protection of a Flu Vaccine. This video plays from the HSE's YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/hseireland and access will depend on your personal internet settings. External links from YouTube.com are not controlled by the HSE.

Chose from the options below to read more:

Flu Vaccine Information and Advice - Information for people in risk groups - who should get the vaccine - and where they can get it

Flu Advice for Health Professionals - details for all GPs and Practices, Hospital Staff on managing flu and administering vaccine

Flu Advice for the Public - detailed questions and answers on Flu, what are the symptoms, how to treat them, how to care for flu at home.

Last winter the H1N1 Influenza or Swine Flu virus accounted for 98% of all flu cases seen in Ireland. It was expected that the swine flu virus would continue to circulate during this winter and beyond. For this reason, protection against H1N1 was included in this year's normal seasonal flu vaccine.

People with long term health conditions, people aged 65 and over, carers of these groups, and healthcare workers are advised to get the flu vaccine. This year, it was also decided that women who are now pregnant should be routinely offered seasonal flu vaccine, and this began in September 2010.

Most people who get the flu are able to self medicate and be looked after at home, with rest and plenty of fluids. However, as had been anticipated, this winter some people were hospitalised as a result of their illness.

This year a large number of people in Ireland will be immune to the H1N1 virus, either because they had the virus last year or because they received the vaccine during the Swine Flu Vaccination Programme that ran from November 2009 to March 2010. In particular, the groups most affected by H1N1 were widely vaccinated - including children, young people, those with chronic illness and pregnant women.

Other Useful Websites:

Health Protection Surveillance Centre
Department of Health and Children
World Health Organisation
European Centre for Disease Control