Flu can be transmitted through the air when an infected person talks, sings, coughs, sneezes or even breathes, a leading GP has cautioned.
Dr Ciara Steele, a Donegal-based GP and co-founder of Clean Air Advocacy Ireland, has also called on Irish health authorities to issue a clear public warning about this form of transmission, reports The Mirror.
Dr Steele said the virus can easily spread in poorly ventilated indoor spaces such as classrooms, public transport, bars, restaurants, shops and healthcare environments.
She criticised health leaders in Ireland for failing to publicly acknowledge that flu is airborne, stating: “It’s time to grasp the nettle of airborne transmission, reports The Mirror.
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“We need an evidence-informed public health response to reduce the airborne spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19 and RSV.
“We cannot expect the general public, or institutions like schools and hospitals, to take the appropriate actions to reduce flu transmission if they are not being informed about how it is spreading, and it is mainly spreading through the air that we breathe indoors,” reports The Mirror.
Clean Air Advocacy Ireland is made up of parents, healthcare professionals, teachers, students and other individuals who are focused on improving indoor air quality to safeguard community health and enhance student and patient wellbeing in educational and healthcare settings.
The warning comes amid growing concern across Ireland that a so-called “super flu” could severely disrupt Christmas for thousands of families, reports The Mirror.
Figures from the Health Service Executive show a 58% rise in flu-related hospital admissions, increasing from 415 cases in the week beginning November 23, 2025 (Week 48) to 657 cases in the week beginning November 30, 2025 (Week 49).
Experts say the surge in flu cases nationwide is being driven by a rare strain that has not circulated widely in Ireland for several years, reports The Mirror.
They add that limited spread in recent years has resulted in lower levels of immunity across communities, leaving more people vulnerable to infection.
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