The Flu is a highly contagious illness caused by the influenza virus. The virus infects your lungs and upper airways, which results in the characteristic symptoms of the flu such as a sudden high temperature, general aches and pains and a headache. The flu can make you feel extremely weak and you may find it difficult to even get out of bed. The symptoms of the flu generally last for up to a week but can often leave people feeling drained and tired for a number of weeks.

Flu affects people of all ages. In some people flu can cause serious complications such as pneumonia. The flu can be a life threatening illness and in Ireland, between 200-500 people die from the flu each year.

The flu vaccine helps your immune system produce antibodies to fight the influenza virus. If you have been vaccinated and you come into contact with the virus, these antibodies will attack it and stop you from getting sick.

Anyone 6 months and older can get the flu vaccine. Certain ‘at risk’ groups are more likely to experience complications of the flu if they were to catch it, therefore it is highly recommended that anyone who falls into one of these groups should get the vaccine every year.

These ‘at risk’ groups are entitled to receive the vaccine free of charge:

• You can get the flu vaccine for free if you:

Other groups of people should get the vaccine to protect themselves, their families and those they care for.

• These include those who:

Please note : Household contacts of the following groups are not entitled to a free flu vaccine :

• Household contacts of People aged 65 years and older unless they have have a chronic health condition(listed above)
• Household contacts of Pregnant women
• Household contacts of children aged 2-17 years
• Household contacts of healthcare workers or carers

For anyone who does not fall into one of the above categories, or does not fall into an at risk category as stated by the HSE, a charge of €35 will apply per vaccine. 

You should not get the flu vaccine if :

• You have had a severe allergic (anaphylaxis) reaction to a previous dose or any part of the vaccine.
• You are taking medicines called combination checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. ipilimumab plus nivolumab)

Your vaccination should be re-scheduled if you have an acute illness with a temperature greater than 38°C.

From the end of September through to November are the best times to get vaccinated however the earlier the better so that you have immunity before the numbers of flu rise and infection is more widespread. 

Vaccinations for people with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 should be deferred until they are no longer self-isolating or symptomatic.

Yes, there is a nasal spray flu vaccine available in Ireland this year called ‘Fluenz Tetra’. The nasal spray vaccine is given to children aged 2-17 years free of charge.

The most common side effects of the flu vaccine are mild and do not last long. They include soreness, redness or swelling where the injection was given. Headache, fever, aches and tiredness may occur. These side effects do not mean that you are getting flu and can be easily treated by taking paracetamol or putting a cold compress on the site of the injection.

As with all vaccines, there is a rare chance of a severe allergic reaction occurring. As the majority of these will occur within 15 minutes of getting your vaccine, you are asked to remain in the vicinity of the pharmacy for this time as all pharmacists are trained to deal with this.

It may take 10 to 14 days for your immunity to build up fully after you have had the flu vaccine.

No, the flu strains change from year to year, therefore last year’s vaccine may not work on this year’s flu strain and protection from the vaccines reduces over time. It is a seasonal vaccine and must be taken every year in order to stay protected.

No, this is a myth! The injected flu vaccine doesn’t contain any live viruses, therefore it cannot give you the flu. The flu vaccine takes 10-14 days to work so if you do come in contact with flu within this time you are still susceptible to getting flu, which sometimes can be mistaken for the vaccine itself giving you the flu. 

Flu vaccine is the best protection you can get against an unpredictable virus. The Flu can cause unpleasant illness in children, severe illness and death among at-risk groups, including older people, pregnant women and people with an underlying physical health condition.

Studies have shown that the flu vaccine will help prevent you getting the flu. It will not stop all flu viruses and the level of protection may vary, so it's not a 100% guarantee that you'll be flu-free. However, if you do get the flu after your vaccination, it's likely to be a milder and shorter-lived illness than it would otherwise have been.

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new Corona virus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis. 

The flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19. Please see our covid vaccine page here or visit www.hse.ie for further information on getting a COVID vaccine.