All Huddersfield's under fives to get flu jab

Nov 20 2009 by Anne-Marie Senior, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ALL KIRKLEES children under five are to be given the swine flu jab.

GPs across Huddersfield are expected to start sending out letters to parents.

The move comes following an announcement by the Government’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson yesterday.

Parents with children aged between six months and five years old will be targeted.

More than three million healthy children under five across the UK are likely to vaccinated with one children’s dose, which is half the usual adult dose.

Currently only youngsters in priority groups with health conditions, including asthma and diabetes, are being offered the vaccine.

Now the programme will be rolled out to include those with no underlying health issues.

Figures show that of 783 people currently in hospital nationally, 176 are under five.

Another 73 are aged five to 15, while 443 fall into the 16 to 64 age group.

Of the 180 in intensive care, 19 are under five and eight are aged five to 15.

And more than a fifth of all swine flu deaths have occurred in children under 14.

A national survey this week showed less than half the patients eligible for the vaccine have taken up the offer so far.

A poll of 107 GPs – for Pulse magazine – found some people were concerned about possible side-effects of the jab.