Children under 13 to get free flu jab
But Minister is urged to extend the vaccine to everyone
THE flu vaccine is to be extended to all children under the age of 13 free of charge.
Simon Harris revealed yesterday the extension of the free vaccine for all children aged two to 12, as well as to those under 70 who are in the HSEdefined at-risk groups.
The Health Minister said this was aimed at limiting the pressure on the health service this winter. However, he was urged to extend the free flu jab to everyone to help relieve pressure on hospitals this winter.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last night hailed his Government’s decision, saying it would ‘save hundreds of lives’. He tweeted: ‘This is a significant announcement. We can save hundreds of lives this winter and every winter by a much greater uptake of the flu vaccine. This matters more as we need to avoid a second wave Covid [sic] concurrent with the flu season.’
But Labour Party leader Alan Kelly was quick to criticise the the Government for not extending free flu jabs to all citizens.
‘The decision to only extend the free flu vaccination programme to children under the age of 13 is a short-sighted decision. I have been calling on the Government to make this vaccine free for all citizens since last year’s winter trolley crisis.’
He added: ‘It’s not enough to just provide this vaccine free of charge to children and those in at-risk groups, this year of all years we must provide it to all citizens for free if we want to try to minimise the damage on our emergency departments created every year by the flu.’
Pharmacists cautiously welcomed the news. The Irish Pharmacy Union secretary general Darragh O’Loughlin said: ‘While we would have liked to see the scheme extended further, making the flu vaccination available to children aged 2-12 and to all at-risk groups without charge is definitely a step in the right direction.’
Announcing the extension of the flu vaccine to all children under 13, Minister Harris said: ‘A resurgence of Covid-19 during the coming flu season could present a significant challenge to the delivery of healthcare services in the coming winter.
‘That is why officials from my department have been working closely with the HSE to put in place an expansion of the seasonal influenza vaccination programme for winter 2020/21.
‘Flu is a potentially fatal illness and I want to ensure that the most vulnerable in our communities are protected.
‘When the time comes, I will be strongly encouraging those from at-risk groups to get vaccinated to protect themselves and, in the case of healthcare workers, those they care for, from exposure to the flu.’
All people over 70 are already covered by the free winter flu vaccination programme.
‘Step in the right direction’