Flu jab plan has Conservatives and Labour trading accusations

Health minister accuses Labour of opportunism and says government followed scientific advice in axing flu jab for under-fives

The health minister, Simon Burns, accused Labour of stooping to a new low of political opportunism today after it claimed the government had cut a routine flu vaccination for under-fives.

John Healey, the shadow health secretary, said the cut had been against scientific advice and was driven by the need to make financial savings. He said: "The serious problem lies with the groups that are most at risk, like children. That has come because the government axed the annual advertising campaign and they cancelled the flu jab plan for the under-fives."

But an angry Burns said: "Labour have stooped to a new low of political opportunism today. By calling on the government to reject independent scientific advice, they risk undermining the public confidence in immunisation programmes which is so crucial to their success.

"The government is legally obliged to implement the recommendations made by the experts in the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation [JCVI]. We have no intention of repealing these laws to allow us to override experts in the manner which Labour suggest.

"John Healey is either spectacularly ill-informed or playing politics with people's health. He should either apologise or be ashamed."

The rate of flu cases in England almost doubled in a week earlier this month, from 34 people in every 100,000 to 87 in every 100,000 ? a faster rise than in 1999, the last time England suffered a flu epidemic.

Labour had criticised the government over the lack of dedicated protection for young children and the decision to axe the annual flu jab awareness campaign.

The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, said he had acted on the advice of the independent JCVI. The committee issues seasonal vaccine advice and said on 23 July that healthy children under five were not at risk, officials said. During the 2009 swine flu outbreak, it had recommended that healthy under-fives be vaccinated.

The Department of Health said the vaccine remained available to under-fives in at-risk groups. The government is advising parents of unimmunised children aged between six months and five years in at-risk groups to get them vaccinated if their GP recommends it.

Lansley said: "There is no additional merit in a vaccination advertising campaign for the general population when there is already a targeted approach for those who need to be called."

He added: "The seasonal flu vaccine is decided internationally by the World Health Organisation. We can see now that this swine flu, plus influenza B, plus another flu strain is circulating. The flu vaccine is an effective vaccination against that. People who are at risk, and indeed pregnant women and over-65s, should be taking up the offer of vaccination. They have been contacted by their GP surgeries."

The Department of Health also pointed out that the government was obliged by law to implement the recommendations of the JCVI.

Healey said: "We knew this would not be like normal winter flu, because we dealt with it last year as part of the world swine flu pandemic. We knew it can put people seriously ill in hospital, and we knew it hits young children and others who are not normally badly ill with flu.

"Experts back public information campaigns to help ensure higher take-up of vaccination, and doctors were willing to make a special effort with children under five. Now the NHS is playing catch-up and people who should be protected are not.

"If Andrew Lansley says he didn't axe the annual advertising campaign and flu jabs for all young children against good medical advice, then he should publish in full all of the expert advice he was given, including the minutes of the expert committee's meetings which discussed plans for dealing with this winter's flu problems.

"Simon Burns's comments are a distraction from the serious questions about how well prepared the government has been for this serious flu outbreak."

Flu: a Q&A

How worried should I be by this winter's seasonal flu?

That depends. Usually seasonal flu hits the elderly. Unusually, though, this year's outbreak is mainly affecting the under-65s, and especially pregnant women, the morbidly obese and those with underlying medical conditions such as asthma, other breathing conditions, diabetes and heart disease. That is because H1N1 swine flu is the most prominent of the three flu viruses circulating, and it is known to particularly affect these groups, as the profiles of the 460 patients who have needed critical care and the 27 deaths show.

Is the seasonal flu jab 100% effective?

No. It is probably about 80% effective. But it is worthwhile for all those in an "at-risk" group to get vaccinated, especially pregnant women, who may be scared to come forward because of their fear of having any medication during pregnancy. We know that the vaccine is safe, and that obstetricians as well as midwives support it, not just GPs. If anyone is worried and not in an at-risk group they should consider going to their local pharmacist for one, or to some of the large supermarket chains.

What else can I do to protect myself?

We seem to have forgotten the messages about hygiene that we were all receiving during last year's swine flu outbreak. Wash your hands regularly, especially after sneezing, and sneeze into a handkerchief. It is appalling to see people at the moment sneezing and coughing in confined spaces such as trains and buses without doing that into a hankie. Remember: catch it, kill it, bin it. Germs spread easily, and hands can transfer germs from you to others, so carry anti-bacterial hand gel.

Professor Steve Field

Prof Steve Field is a Birmingham GP who until last month was chairman of the Royal College of GPs.

Patrick Wintour

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