Over half of healthcare staff at Cavan General availed of flu vaccine last year

Just over half of healthcare workers at Cavan General Hospital received the seasonal flu vaccine last year.

According to the latest available figures, compiled by the HSE, 640 staff, out of an eligible 1,156 received the vaccine, which equates to 55.4%. The provisional figures were dated November 26, 2019.

There had been a marked upwards trend in uptake amongst healthcare workers at Cavan General Hospital from 2015-16, however this year is only up fractionally from the year before, (2018-2019) which had a percentage uptake of 53.9% (586 out of 1,087). In 2015-16 the figure stood at 14.1%.

There was a greater uptake amongst some long-term care/residential facilities managed by the HSE in Co Cavan. For example, in Colurgan Group Home, 83.3% of their 12 staff availed of the vaccine; Lisdarn Unit for the Elderly Elderly/Older Persons achieved 78.2% out of its 55 staff; while 75.5% of 155 staff at Virginia Nursing Unit received the vaccination.

Across hospitals in the Republic, the Rotunda in Dublin had the highest percentage uptake in 2019 with 67.5% (628 out of 931) healthcare workers receiving the vaccine.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) estimate that there is approximately 200-500 deaths each year in the Republic due to influenza; and add that "up to 1,000 could die during a particularly severe flu season".

In October 2018 the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) called for adoption of mandatory vaccination for healthcare professionals who work in high-risk areas, such as intensive care, cancer wards and emergency departments.

Speaking at that time President of RCPI Professor Mary Horgan said: "Mandatory influenza vaccination is the only measure proven to achieve vaccination uptake rates of 95%."

She added: “As doctors and healthcare professionals, we have a duty of care to protect our patients and in order to do that, we must protect ourselves. I fully support mandatory vaccination against flu infection in key healthcare personnel, in tandem with those already in place, to provide immunity to both healthcare workers and their patients.”