According to Dr. Grant, the most ideal time to get vaccinated in Ireland is before the onset of the influenza season, which typically starts in October or later.
In Ireland, the HSE offers free influenza vaccines to specific groups, including pregnant individuals, individuals aged 65 and older, children between the ages of two and 12, residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities, individuals in regular contact with pigs, poultry, or waterfowl, and healthcare workers.
Other eligibility criteria include individuals with underlying health conditions that increase their risk of contracting the flu, as well as those living with or caring for someone with conditions such as diabetes, chronic neurological conditions, chronic heart, liver, lung, or kidney disease, Down syndrome, a body mass index (BMI) over 40, or immunosuppression due to disease or medication.
Alternatively, individuals can opt to pay for a flu vaccine at select pharmacies or their GP practice. It’s important to note that it takes two weeks for the vaccine to become effective, but it should provide coverage for the upcoming flu season.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, various interventions such as social distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene, lockdowns, and travel restrictions have significantly affected the spread of influenza and other viruses. As a result, flu rates dropped dramatically.
The number of people who choose to get vaccinated can also impact the influenza rate during the winter. Higher vaccination rates generally lead to lower flu rates. Therefore, it is worthwhile to consider getting the influenza vaccine, even if you do not qualify for a free one.
While the flu vaccine may not guarantee complete protection against the flu, it has been proven to reduce the risk of death or life-threatening complications such as pneumonia. If you do contract the flu after being vaccinated, your illness is likely to be less severe.
To gauge the severity of the upcoming flu season and identify circulating variants, Europe often looks to the Southern Hemisphere. Indicators of severity include hospital admission rates, intensive care unit (ICU) numbers, and overall deaths attributed to influenza (typically around 0.1%).
Each flu season, the effectiveness of the vaccine is assessed. Personal factors, such as age, overall health, and immune system function, can influence vaccine effectiveness. The need for new vaccines each year arises due to the constant mutation of the virus, which affects the body’s immune response.
It takes several months to produce the vaccine as scientists attempt to predict the likely variants circulating during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere based on variants observed in the Southern Hemisphere during their winter (June-August 2023).
The flu vaccine will be available from October 2023 to April 2024. It will be administered as a nasal spray for children and as an injection in the arm for adults.
Serious adverse effects from the flu vaccine are rare. The most common mild adverse effect is soreness at the injection site and mild flu-like symptoms for a few days. In rare cases, the vaccine may cause bursitis in the deltoid or shoulder muscle, which typically resolves on its own within a few weeks. Severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, are very rare, even among individuals with known egg allergies.
Dr. Jennifer Grant is a GP at Beacon HealthCheck.
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