Have you received your flu jab?
Inquire about the Flu Vaccine today – available at Castle Street Surgery!
The Flu
Influenza is a highly infectious acute respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Influenza affects people of all ages. Outbreaks of influenza occur almost every year, usually in winter. This is why it is also known as seasonal flu.
Flu is a highly infectious illness. A person carrying the virus can spread the illness by coughing or sneezing. A person can spread the virus from 1-2 days before they develop symptoms and for up to a week after symptoms develop.
Flu Vaccine
Flu may be prevented by vaccination. Flu vaccine is a safe, effective way to help prevent flu infection, avoiding hospitalisation, reducing flu related deaths and illnesses.
Seasonal flu vaccine helps the person’s immune system to produce antibodies to the flu virus. When someone who has been vaccinated comes into contact with the virus these antibodies attack the virus.
The vaccine starts to work within two weeks.
Side Effects
The most common side effects will be mild and will include soreness, redness or swelling where the injection was given. Headache, fever, aches and tiredness may occur. Some people may experience mild sweating and shivering as their immune system responds to the vaccine but this is not flu and will pass in a day or so.
Who should get it?
The HSE strongly recommends the flu vaccine for the following ‘Recommended Groups’:
- Persons aged 65 and over:
- Those aged 6 months and older with a long-term health condition such as
- Chronic heart disease (this includes anyone who has a history of having a “heart attack” or unstable angina)
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic renal failure
- Chronic respiratory disease , including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, moderate or severe asthma or bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Chronic neurological disease including multiple sclerosis, hereditary and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system
- Diabetes mellitus
- Down syndrome
- Haemoglobinopathies
- Morbid obesity i.e. body mass index over 40
- Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment (these include anyone on treatment for cancer)
- Children aged 6 months and older
- with any condition that can affect lung function especially those attending special schools/day centres with cerebral palsy or intellectual disability
- on long-term aspirin therapy (because of the risk of Reyes syndrome)
- Pregnant women (vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy)
- Healthcare workers
- Residents of nursing homes and other long stay institutions
- Carers (the main carers of those in the at risk groups)
- People with regular contact with pigs, poultry or water fowl
SEASONAL FLU VACCINE CLINICS
We run Seasonal Flu Vaccine Clinics from October to December – specific dates are available upon request.
If you are in a Recommended Group, or wish to receive this vaccine then please contact us by telephone (09066-26644) or by email (info@cssdoctor.ie) to book into one of our many drop-in clinics from September to December.
There is a charge of €20 for private patients wishing to get the flu vaccine.
CORPORATE CLINICS
We offer an on-site flu vaccination service for groups, companies or organisations of 10 or more. With the constantly changing weather conditions in Ireland throughout winter, early flu vaccination ensures minimum employee absenteeism due to flu throughout the winter months.
We will bring our Corporate Clinic to you and vaccinate your group altogether. If some employees or members cannot make this on-site clinic we will arrange for them to receive the flu vaccination at Castle Street Surgery, at no extra cost.
For more information about our flu clinics, please contact us by email at info@cssdoctor.ie
For more information about our other services then please visit our website at www.cssdoctor.ie