Flu (also known as influenza) is a highly infectious illness caused by the flu virus. It spreads rapidly through small droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person.   For most people, flu is unpleasant but not serious. You will usually recover within a week.

Studies have shown that flu vaccines provide effective protection against the flu, although protection may not be complete and may vary between people. Protection from the vaccine gradually decreases and flu strains change over time. Therefore, new vaccines are made each year and people at risk of flu are encouraged to be vaccinated every year.

The flu vaccination is offered to people in at-risk groups. These people are at greater risk of developing serious complications if they catch flu, such as pregnant women and elderly people.

We strongly recommend people in the following at-risk groups get the flu vaccine:

• People aged 65 years and over
• Pregnant women
• People (adults and children) with long-term medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, liver, kidney disease, cancer, chronic lung disease including COPD, asthma or neurological diseases
• People with cancer
• People whose immune system is impaired due to disease or treatment
• Persons who are obese who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40
• People on long-term aspirin treatment
• People with Down syndrome
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-stay institutions
• Healthcare workers
• Carers and household contacts of people at medical risk of the complications of flu*
• People with regular close contact with poultry, water fowl or pigs

*Please note:

Only household contacts or carers of people who have an underlying chronic health condition or have Down syndrome are eligible to receive an influenza vaccine. A carer is described as someone who is providing an ongoing significant level of care to a person who is in need of care in the home due to illness or disability or frailty. Household contacts of people aged 65 years and older (who do not also have a chronic health condition), of pregnant women, of children aged 2-17 years or of healthcare workers/carers cannot avail of the HSE season influenza vaccine provided free to all those in high risk groups and have to the source the flu vaccine privately.

You should not  get the flu vaccine if you have had a severe allergic (anaphylaxis) reaction to a previous dose or any part of the vaccine. Don’t get the flu vaccine if you are taking medicines called combination checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. ipilimumab plus nivolumab).

Vaccination should be re-scheduled if you have an acute illness with a temperature greater than 38°C.

Children aged 2 to 17 can get the nasal flu vaccine for free. Your child does not have to be in an at-risk group to receive the vaccine. 

Please email reception@arklowmedicalpractice.ie to book a flu vaccine for your child.

The flu vaccine will help protect your child against flu and reduce the spread of flu to others, for example, their grandparents, parents and siblings. The nasal flu vaccine has been given to children in the US since 2003 and in the UK since 2013.

For more information from the HSE on the children's flu vaccine, please click here.  

• What is flu?
• Flu vaccine 2022 information leaflet
• Flu vaccine for children
• Flu vaccine during pregnancy
• Flu vaccine for healthcare workers 

Please be advised that we do not take any responsibility for the content of the websites or documents referenced on this page, or information that you may receive from them. We advise all patients to discuss their health concerns with their GP.