HSE to open free walk-in clinics in Cork for children to get a 'quick, painless' flu vaccine

A HSE specialist registrar in public health medicine warned: 'Flu can be serious for children and those around them.'

The vaccine is for children aged two to 17 and the HSE said it is 'a quick, painless spray'.

Children in Cork can go to free walk-in clinics offering the nasal spray flu vaccine from Friday to help tackle rising case numbers.

The vaccine is for children aged two to 17 and the HSE said it is “a quick, painless spray”. Families do not need appointments.

A HSE specialist registrar in public health medicine Rebecca Marshall warned: “Flu can be serious for children and those around them”. She called on parents to attend the clinics, saying they can “help reduce the spread of flu in our communities.” 

The national latest vaccine uptake figures show a slight increase on this time last year in most age groups.  This is likely linked to fears about how severe this year’s version can be for people. 

Some 21% of children are now vaccinated, up from 17.7% last year even though GPs and others have urged remaining parents to consider this shot.  The HSE has said this is the highest uptake recorded for this age group.

GPs have said the nasal spray vaccine is far easier to use and linked this to the rising uptake. However, the HSE has now sent out all stocks of this vaccine and its cold chain delivery service is advising pharmacists to use other options which are injection-only versions.

At the other end of the age scale, 82% of older people with Fair Deal nursing home funding have had their flu jab. Some 60% of adults over 60 years of age in general have been vaccinated. 

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Slightly more healthcare workers too are vaccinated at 29.1% up from 27.5%, although senior HSE leaders have called for this to increase further.

There is slightly less interest in the covid vaccines across most age groups, however. This is true even among people living in nursing homes where 73.1% have been vaccinated compared to 75.6% last year.

Only healthcare workers in at-risk groups were advised to have the covid vaccine this year, resulting in a drop in uptake to 7.9% from 10.4% last year.

Cork vaccine clinics for children:

Friday:  1pm to 4pm Ballincollig Primary Care Centre 

December 22 

11am – 3pm Dental Room, Skibbereen Community Hospital Grounds   

9am – 3pm St Mary’s Primary Care Centre, Gurranabraher 

December 29 

10am – 2pm St Mary’s Primary Care Centre, Gurranabraher                

11am – 3pm Bantry Vaccination Centre