The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who falls into an eligible group to get the free flu vaccine. The calls comes as the agency launches this year’s flu vaccination programme, offering vaccines which are specially formulated to tackle the strains of the virus which are expected to be circulating this winter. The flu vaccine campaign has been expanded to help reduce the spread of flu and lower flu-related hospital admissions at a time when the health service is under strain as a result of COVID-19. It’ll also help reduce the risk of contracting flu and coronavirus at the same time

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people of the importance of booking a COVID-19 test if they develop any of the symptoms of the illness, but is also emphasising that those who are not displaying any of these symptoms should avoid booking a test, as they could be taking the place of someone who needs one. The symptoms of COVID-19 are: a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature); OR a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you

Will you give someone the Second Chance for a Second Dance? This week (7-13 September 2020) is Organ Donation Week and to mark the initiative, a powerful music video has been released: A Second Dance. It was first performed in 2019 at the Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for Organ Donation and Transplantation, to celebrate and give thanks to organ donors and their families who allowed others a second precious chance at life. At present, there are around 115 people in Northern Ireland on the transplant waiting list, and last year 11 people in Northern Ireland died while awaiting an organ

Today (Monday 7 th September), marks the launch of a regional mental health and emotional wellbeing campaign - ‘Working Together To Promote Mental Wellbeing”. The campaign is being launched by the Public Health Agency (PHA) along with five Health and Social Care Trusts, the NI Ambulance Service and the Health and Social Care Board, who with the community and voluntary sectors will work together to promote ways to support our mental wellbeing, with co-ordinated messages and links to support on social media including to the updated resources website www.mindingyourhead.info Over the next five

The Public Health Agency (PHA) can confirm that it has made a number of significant recommendations to a business in the Mid and East Antrim council area where a cluster of COVID-19 has been identified. These include testing of all staff this week and self-isolation of staff identified as close contacts of cases. ‘The agency is working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to manage the situation and protect the workforce and wider community. Testing and contact tracing is