Written answers

Tuesday, 15 September 2020

Department of Health

Vaccination Programme

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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96. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to increase the uptake for the flu vaccine the 2020-21 winter season; if his Department has prepared analysis into the costing of providing the flu vaccine to all citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23652/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In previous years, the seasonal influenza vaccination was made available without charge to Medical or GP Visit card holders in one of the HSE-defined at-risk groups, while others in the at-risk groups were provided the vaccine without charge and typically paid an administration fee to have the vaccine delivered. Research indicates that the requirement to pay a charge results in lower uptake rates among those in the at-risk groups who do not hold Medical or GP Visit cards.

Given the potential for the winter flu season in 2020/2021 to coincide with a resurgence of COVID, and the importance of minimising hospital attendance, the Government is expanding the provision of vaccination without charge to all of those in the at-risk groups, including healthcare workers, and to all children aged from 2 to 12 years.

It is proposed to administer the vaccines via GPs and pharmacists, as in previous years. Given the importance of significantly increasing the level of uptake of the vaccine for the coming winter, resources will be provided to GPs and pharmacists not only to deliver the vaccination to the expanded groups, but to actively seek relevant patients and deliver vaccinations in a programmatic way, such as through dedicated flu vaccination clinics.

The expanded programme will ensure that those most vulnerable to the effects of influenza will have access to vaccination without charges. By providing vaccination to those most at-risk, and those most likely to require hospitalisation if they contract influenza, it is anticipated that the programme will see a reduction in the number of influenza-related hospital admissions, as well as a reduction in the overall spread of influenza in the community.

The total influenza vaccination programme in 2020 is expected to cost approximately €77 million, with approximately €61.5 million of that cost associated with the expansion of the programme. It is not possible to estimate the cost of expanding the influenza programme to provide vaccine administration without charge to the entire population, as the calculation would depend on too many variables such as the type and quantity of vaccine to be procured as well as the rate of vaccine uptake.

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