Flu virus in overcrowded A&Es ‘will lead to deaths’
Irish Association for Emergency Medicine spokesperson and emergency department consultant at Sligo General, Dr Fergal Hickey, issued the warning after it was claimed up to 1,000 people could die because year’s vaccine for the virus is only 25% effective
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, the senior physician said at least three people have already died from the flu since the annual season for the potentially lethal virus began at the start of the year.
While noting people die every year from the common infection, he warned the problems in emergency departments coupled with the flaws in the 2015 vaccine mean vulnerable people are at far more risk than before.
“The difficulty with influenza is it is going to pick off the most vulnerable in society. The reality is there are the patients waiting on trolleys for hospital admission,” Dr Hickey explained.
“That’s an opportunity for influenza. If somebody comes to hospital with it and into a very overcrowded environment, there will be unnecessary deaths,” he said.
As a result of the situation, Dr Hickey said hospitals must consider moving “one or two” patients from emergency departments into already full wards to lessen the risk posed to them in overcrowded areas.
While the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has previously questioned the safety of such a practice, the doctor said this is “the less unsafe” option and the “lesser of two evils”.
The IAEM spokesperson - who also criticised Health Minister Leo Varadkar’s claims this week that the emergency department crisis is being addressed as 359 people were waiting for a bed, down from 610 a week earlier, saying “the only acceptable figure is zero” - had his call for extra patients on wards supported by the HSE.
Speaking on the same programme, the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre director, Dr Darina O’ Flanagan, said the move must take place “as soon as possible” given the difficulties with the flu vaccine.
Citing the ongoing emergency department problems, she said despite the views of nurses the flu strain outbreak means drastic action needs to be taken to protect people most at risk.
The senior official also said despite the fact the vaccine currently being offered by the HSE is only 25% effective, at risk groups such as the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic conditions should still receive it as it does offer better protection than nothing.
During an Oireachtas Health Committee meeting on Thursday, HSE director general, Tony O Brien, revealed that this year’s vaccine does not offer complete protection due to a mutation “drift” in the flu virus.
Dr O’ Flanagan said in a normal year there are between 300 and 500 deaths from the flu in Ireland. However, she said this could rise to 1,000 due to the weakened protections involved.
The flu season normally lasts between six and eight weeks, but can stretch as long as 14 weeks, she added.
The current flu vaccine is only 25% effective due to a strain “drift”. A new vaccine will not be available in time
At risk people like the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions should still get it as it provides some protection
Further information: www.undertheweather.ie
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