Concern over low uptake of flu vaccine by healthcare workers

The health authorities have expressed concern about the low uptake of the flu vaccine among health workers in hospitals and nursing homes.

A survey by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre has revealed that just over one in five of all healthcare staff in such facilities availed of a free flu vaccination last year.

Results from 50 of the largest hospitals in the country showed the overall uptake was 22.5% of medical staff last winter. It represents a slight improvement on the vaccination rate of 21.3% recorded in 2014.