Just 28% of staff have received '˜flu vaccine

Geraldine McKay, the Western Trust Director of Acute Services, told members of Derry City and Strabane District Council that “28 per cent of staff have received the ‘flu vaccine” as part of its annual programme to “protect staff and patients.”

Dr. Bob Brown, the Western Trust Director of Primary Care and Older People Services, acknowledged that 28 percent did not seem a large percentage of staff but that the uptake at this stage of winter 2018/19 was better than last year.

“Regionally, we are trying to get to 40 per cent but that’s still 60 per cent not vaccinated,” said Dr. Brown.

“In England and Wales its 80 per cent and above,” he explained, in terms of ‘flu vaccine uptake levels.

The trust bosses revealed the details while presenting their winter resilience plans.