What is seasonal influenza (flu)?
Influenza (flu) is a very infectious illness caused by the flu virus. The virus infects the airways and the lungs.
Flu circulates in the community during the flu season. The flu season usually starts at the beginning of October and lasts until the end of April.
Can flu cause serious illness?
Yes, the flu can cause serious illness and life-threatening complications including pneumonia, bronchitis and, on rare occasions, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
Flu also can make chronic health problems worse.
Some people are more at risk of these serious complications including people aged 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with an underlying health condition such as diabetes and chronic lung disease.
What is the difference between a cold and the flu?
A cold usually comes on gradually with a sore throat and a blocked or runny nose and its symptoms are usually mild.
Flu symptoms start suddenly with fever, muscle aches, headaches and extreme tiredness (fatigue). It may be difficult to tell the symptoms of flu apart from symptoms of COVID-19.
What is the flu vaccine?
A vaccine is a product that helps the body’s immune system (defence system) to fight against infections. Each year the flu viruses change, so each year the flu vaccine changes to provide protection from the new strains of flu virus expected
How does the flu vaccine work?
The flu vaccine helps your immune system to produce antibodies (proteins that fight infection). If you have had the flu vaccine and you come into contact with the flu virus, the vaccine can stop you from getting sick.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
The National Immunisation Office have confirmed that the following groups will be eligible for a free HSE flu vaccine as part of the 2023/2024 seasonal influenza vaccination campaign:
- All children aged 2-12 years at the time of vaccination
- Persons aged 65 and older
- Pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)
- Those aged 6 to 23 months and aged 13-64 years with:
What flu vaccines are available this flu season?
The 2023/2024 HSE seasonal flu vaccination programme will offer 2 vaccines:
- Influvac Tetra, suspension for injection in pre-filled syringe (influenza vaccine, surface antigen, inactivated) manufactured by Mylan for people with long term conditions
- Fluenz Tetra nasal spray suspension Influenza vaccine (live attenuated, nasal) manufactured by AstraZeneca AB for children aged 2 to 12 years
Why should children aged 2-12 years get the flu vaccine?
Children, especially younger children, are at risk from complications of flu.
Children carry the flu virus in their system for longer than adults do, so they can spread it easily to vulnerable people around them.
The flu vaccine protects children from flu and also protects vulnerable people around them, for example their grandparents.
Why do pregnant women need the flu vaccine?
If you are pregnant, you are at higher risk of complications from flu. The flu can also affect your baby, for example, flu can cause miscarriage, premature birth and even stillbirth.
The flu vaccine protects pregnant women during pregnancy and also protects their newborn baby during their first few months of life.
How safe is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is very safe. Flu vaccines have been given for more than 60 years to millions of people worldwide
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
Common side effects are mild. After the flu vaccine you may get side effects including soreness, redness and swelling where the injection was given.
Headaches, muscle pains and tiredness can also develop. These side effects may last for a few days.
Serious reactions are very rare, a severe allergic reaction
Can the flu vaccine give me the flu?
No. The flu vaccine can’t give you the flu.
Will the flu vaccine protect me against COVID-19?
No. The flu vaccine doesn’t protect against COVID-19. It is important to get both the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine. This is because Flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses.
Flu and COVID-19 can both cause serious illness and if you get them you might need to be admitted to hospital. It may be difficult to tell the symptoms of flu apart from the symptoms of COVID-19.
If you have had the COVID-19 vaccine you should still get the flu vaccine.
You can get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the flu vaccine if it is offered to you.
Who should not get the flu vaccine?
You should not get the flu vaccine if you have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of flu vaccine or any part of the vaccine.
You should not get the flu vaccine if you are taking two medicines called combination checkpoint inhibitors (for example, ipilimumab plus nivolumab) which are used to treat cancer.
Those with severe neutropenia (low levels of a type of white blood cell) should not receive any flu vaccine
What about people with egg allergy?
If you have egg allergy, talk to your pharmacist before you get this vaccine
When should you delay getting the flu vaccine?
There are very few reasons why getting the flu vaccine should be delayed.
You may have to delay getting the flu vaccine if you are unwell – with a high temperature of more than 38°C – until you are better
Where do I get the flu vaccine if I am in one of the groups for whom the vaccine is recommended?
You can get the flu vaccine from your pharmacist.
If you are a healthcare worker, your occupational health department may provide the vaccine at work.
What does the flu vaccine cost?
If the flu vaccine is recommended for you, then the vaccine and the consultation pharmacist are free.