David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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295. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to prepare for the winter flu season; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17889/20]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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296. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to invest further in a flu-vaccination programme in 2020; the extent of the additional funding; his views on a total population flu-vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17890/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 296 together.

To mitigate as much as possible the pressure on the health services that would result from a coincidence of the winter flu season and a resurgence of COVID-19, there will be an expanded provision of seasonal influenza vaccine this year. All of those in the at-risk groups aged from 6 months up, including healthcare workers, will be able to access the vaccination without charges. All children aged from 2 to 12 years inclusive will also have access to vaccination without charges.

This expanded programme will ensure that those most vulnerable to the effects of influenza will have access without charges. This is in line with the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, which has not recommended a programme of vaccination of the whole population, and represents a significant step forward in providing vaccination without charges. The expansion will be accompanied by a comprehensive communications campaign to encourage the greatest possible take-up.

The final cost of the expansion will depend on the outcome of negotiations with service providers - GPs and pharmacists. However, we have estimated that an additional cost of approximately €40 million will arise when all factors are accounted for.