Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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198. To ask the Minister for Health the contingency plans in place for health services to cope with a greater 'flu outbreak than is normally experienced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45546/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Influenza can be a serious illness for people in ‘at risk’ groups which can lead to hospitalisation and death.

‘At-risk’ people include those aged 65 years and older, people with chronic illness requiring regular medical follow-up, those with lower immunity due to disease or treatment, pregnant women, and residents of nursing homes, and other long stay facilities.

The priority for this winter is to increase uptake of the influenza vaccine in ‘at risk’ groups and in health care workers to reduce and control the incidence of flu and outbreaks in the community and healthcare settings.

The Health Service Executive launched their influenza immunisation and ‘Under the Weather’ campaigns for the 2017-18 season earlier this month.

Reducing the incidence of influenza reduces the need for people to seek treatments, and consequently reduces the demands on health services.

The Health Service Executive has put in place significant measures to ensure it is prepared for influenza this winter:

- A national steering group is in place to coordinate the response;

- Each Hospital Group and Community Health Organisation has submitted a Flu plan based on the evidence of last year’s successes and areas of concern for the oncoming season;

- Each Long Term Care Facility and Private Nursing Home has received a detailed communication on how to prepare and deal with flu; and

- Additionally, each Hospital Group and associated Community Health Organisation to produce a Winter Plan which includes a specific section on Flu.

These plans were reviewed at a national meeting earlier this week. It is expected that these preparations will significantly reduce the impact of influenza on the health services.