A flu outbreak would stretch hospital services "beyond breaking point", the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) warned yesterday.
Mr Liam Doran, INO general secretary said accident and emergency services were already under major pressure.
A flu outbreak that could affect between 10 and 40 per cent of the population would mean that all elective work in acute hospitals would have to be put on hold, he said.
Earlier this week, the National Disease Surveillance Centre said the number of new cases of an influenza A Fujian type had doubled in the previous two weeks. Last week saw a dramatic increase on the number of flu-like illnesses reported by GPs to the centre. This strain of flu has been blamed for the deaths of six children in the UK.
Mr Doran said that a small percentage of flu patients would need hospitalisation. But, if just 10 per cent of the population was affected, this could result in thousands of extra patients at A&E units around the State.
This would happen at a time when 200 beds remained closed because of funding problems. It would also happen at a time when community services were being reduced, so more people were calling to A&E departments.
Mr Doran also urged all medical staff to receive the flu vaccine immediately, if they had not already done so.
He said the uptake among healthcare workers was as low as 15 per cent in some areas.
It was vital that as many healthcare workers as possible were available to deal with a potential outbreak, Mr Doran said. The vaccination was crucial to reduce the spread of the virus in hospitals.
He said healthcare employers should try to bring the vaccination to staff wherever possible, in a bid to increase uptake rates.
The INO also encouraged all high-risk groups to get the vaccine. Vulnerable people include the over 65s, people with chronic heart conditions or chronic respiratory disease and those who are immuno-suppressed.
