As we brace ourselves for winter, we may also have to prepare for a flu outbreak.
Dr. Ruairi Hanley explained why a serious flu outbreak in the southern hemisphere could spell trouble for us in Ireland.
"Flu spreads around the world, and every year we can anticipate what's going to happen in the northern hemisphere when our winter comes if we look at the southern hemisphere's winter a few months earlier."
"We haven't had a serious outbreak in five or six years and it looks like we're going to get one, so what people need to do is get vaccinated. Unfortunately in Ireland a huge proportion of people don't bother."
Ruairi believes it's particularly important for health care professionals to get the vaccine.
"There has been an issue with those working in nursing homes, and there's very little excuse. If I had an elderly loved one in a nursing home where there was a flu outbreak and I discovered the staff didn't bother getting the vaccine, I would be very angry."
