‘Sweetener’ bribes for health workers to get flu vaccine

Health workers are to be bribed with chocolate and spot prizes to be vaccinated against the flu after records showed a dismal uptake of the vaccine.

Just one in four employees in hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have been vaccinated against flu despite a three-year awareness campaign by the HSE to try to boost numbers.

Now health employers trying to encourage staff to have the free vaccine are being advised to “make it attractive”.