Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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548. To ask the Minister for Health the reason providers of childcare are expected to pay for flu vaccines for their staff members despite the fact that in other sectors the State has committed to paying for the vaccine. [31080/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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 has expanded the provision of vaccination without charge to all of those in the HSE defined at-risk groups, including healthcare workers. All children aged from 2 to 12 years inclusive will also have access to vaccination without charges.

Vaccination without charges is provided to those most at-risk, and those most likely to require hospitalisation if they contract influenza, in anticipation 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. This approach is in line with the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.

Those not covered by the publicly funded influenza vaccination programme can avail of influenza vaccination from GPs and pharmacists on a private basis.