HSE wants compulsory flu vaccines for health care workers

The HSE is looking at making it compulsory for health care workers to get the flu vaccine.

Only 30% of them get the jab each year - despite influenza causing hundreds of deaths.

Dr Kevin Kelleher, Assistant National Director of Public Health with the HSE, believes health workers have a duty of care to their patients.

"People in oncology wards, elderly people, children with problems are very vulnerable to flu because they don't have the natural resistance to deal with it," said Dr Kelleher

"So by our health care workers taking the vaccine, we are increasing their protection quite considerably."