Free walk-in flu vaccine clinic for children to be held in Ennis

The HSE will be two free walk-in flu vaccine clinics for children on Friday January 9, one in County Clare and another in County Limerick.

The clinics allow parents to bring children aged between two and 17 to receive the nasal spray flu vaccine, helping protect them against flu as they return to school for the New Year.

The Clare clinic will take place in the Primary Care Centre on the Station Road in Ennis (Eircode: V95 TY4E).  

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It will run from 2 pm until 6 pm on Friday January 9th on a walk-in basis.

The Limerick Clinic will also be open between 2 pm and 6pm tomorrow in the Dooradoyle Health Centre (Eircode: V94 A6RX).

Dr Breda Cosgrove, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE Mid West, described the vaccine for children as a “quick, easy, pain-free spray up the nose” and encouraged all parents of children who are not yet vaccinated to bring them to the clinics this Friday.

The nasal flu vaccine is given as a spray into each of the child's nostrils.

Dr Cosgrove explained: “It’s important to be aware of the risks of flu, particularly for children, who can spread flu easily, and are returning to school this week."

"This simple nasal spray vaccine will protect not only your child, but also other members of your family who are vulnerable to flu, such as grandparents, babies and pregnant women.

The flu vaccine helps to protect children against flu.

Most children who get the flu have mild symptoms. But children and young people with long-term health conditions are at risk of serious complications from flu.

In some children, flu can lead to problems such as pneumonia, bronchitis and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

A very small number of children will not be able to get the nasal flu vaccine because of medical reasons, more information of this can be viewed here on the HSE webpage.