The Public Health Agency (PHA) would like to take this opportunity to encourage people with a weakened immune system to continue to book or visit a walk-in clinic for their COVID-19 vaccines. All individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed are advised to receive a spring booster dose of the vaccine, typically six months after their last dose. COVID-19 is still out there and the vaccine offers the best defence against becoming seriously unwell, staying out of hospital and passing on the virus to loved ones and others around you. It is safe, effective and free for everyone. The

Community and voluntary groups are being encouraged by the Public Health Agency (PHA) to apply for a short-term funding programme which can be used to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities, with a particular focus on improving mental and emotional wellbeing. The funding programme will also support a range of strategic themes and priorities under the ‘Making Life Better’ public health framework, in particular, mental health, emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention and self-harm. Shauna Houston, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager at the PHA said: “We are all aware of

The Farm Families Health Check Programme is celebrating its 10th birthday this week having helped more than 21,600 people in its decade of success. The initiative is a one-stop mobile health clinic that visits farmers’ marts and local community settings offering free health assessments and advice tailored specifically for the farming community. The Farm Families Health Checks Programme is funded through the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (DAERA) Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme and the Public Health Agency (PHA) and delivered by the

Following the detection of Poliovirus in sewage from North and East London the Public Health Agency (PHA) is taking this opportunity to remind parents to make sure their child’s immunisations are up-to-date. Rachel Spiers, Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager at the PHA said: “Many childhood diseases that were common in the UK prior to the introduction of vaccination have been dramatically reduced or have disappeared altogether. However, once a disease fades from prominence, it is easy to forget how serious they could be. Unless vaccine uptake remains high in Northern Ireland, many

This Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week (20-26 June) people are being encouraged by the Public Health Agency (PHA) to take a closer look at their drinking habits and to give themselves an “alcohol audit”. Four-fifths (81%) of adults here drink alcohol so the PHA and Northern Ireland’s five Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (DACTs) are asking people to check how much they drink and look at the impact it could be having on their health and wellbeing. Kevin Bailey, the PHA’s Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol said: “Many of us enjoy a drink, but we need to remember that alcohol is a

This Cervical Screening Awareness Week (20-26 June) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is highlighting the importance of attending for cervical screening when invited. Between 2016 and 2020 in Northern Ireland, there was an average of 81 people diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and around 21 deaths per year. “When you receive an invitation for cervical screening, it is really important to accept the invite and attend for the screening – it could be life-saving,” Dr Tracy Owen, Interim Assistant Director of Public Health, Screening and Professional Standards at the PHA, said. “Cervical

A new YouTube channel is set to bring the healthy eating and nutrition expertise of dietitians to the palms of the hands of people in Northern Ireland. The ‘Public Health Dietitians’ channel is a partnership between the Public Health Dietitians Group (PHDG) Northern Ireland and the Public Health Agency (PHA) which is going live this Dietitians Week (June 20- 24). The online outlet will host videos of all things nutrition, from healthy recipes to webinars with advice on nutrition for all stages of life. Dr Hannah Dearie, Senior Officer for Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement with PHA said: