Sandra Duffy urges public to take up ‘flu vaccine to protect health service

Sinn Féin health spokesperson Sandra Duffy has called on people entitled to get the ‘flu vaccine to take up the offer as medical practices start their vaccine campaign.

The ‘flu season has officially commenced with the Public Health Agency (PHA) publishing its first regular bulletin this week.

Colr. Sandra Duffy said: “In the next few weeks local medical practices in Derry will be offering patients the opportunity to get the annual ‘flu vaccine. I would appeal to as many people as possible to make sure that they take up the offer of the vaccine.

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“Every winter the flu comes around, but the virus is always changing. Even if you’ve had ‘flu or the vaccine last year it won’t protect you this year. It’s important for patients to get their vaccination in October or early November to be ready to fight off any infection and not to wait until there is an outbreak of flu,” she said.

Normally the trajectory of the ‘flu season during the winter in Australia and New Zealand gives something of an indication of what it will be like in Europe and Ireland.

But with severe lockdowns in place to tackle COVID-19 in the antipodes over the past few months there has been little reported transmission of influenza. But Colr. Duffy said it is important to get the ‘flu jab to protect our under pressure health services.

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“This year there will be added pressures on medical practices across the city dealing with COVID. There have been strenuous efforts put into various awareness programmes to increase the number of people in the uptake of the ‘flu vaccine and we should not let that good work go to waste.”

Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract (nose, mouth, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs). There are three types: A, B and C, with A and B responsible for most clinical illness. Influenza activity is monitored throughout the year to inform public health action. The ‘flu season typically runs from week 40 to week 20. Week 40 for the 2021/2022 season commenced on October 4, 2021.