The Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry is urging parents to have their children vaccinated against influenza as numbers are set to peak.

The symptoms of flu include a high temperature, aches and pains, cough, nasal congestion for which the advised treatment is paracetamol, fluids and rest.

Last winter, over 4,000 people were hospitalised with the flu, and more than 7,000 required hospital treatment for Covid-19.

HIQA said its health technology assessment found evidence that two types of enhanced flu vaccines may be more effective than standard flu vaccines in preventing cases of flu or flu-related hospitalisation in this age group.

Dr Colm Henry said that vaccination was very effective in preventing serious illness