Flu Jabs On The Decline

Doctors have expressed alarm as the number of people having the seasonal flu jab declined by 6%.

18:44 15 November 2015

Tens of thousands of high-risk people in England may be vulnerable to the virus as 6per cent of the population has shunned flu jab. The Royal College of GPs says that warmer seasonal weather than usual and the perceived failures of last year's vaccine may have contributed to the fall.

 

The chairwoman of the RCGP, Dr Maureen Baker, said: "These figures are extremely alarming.

 

"We are experiencing an incredibly mild November this year, but we don't need cold weather for a flu outbreak and influenza is a horrible illness that can also trigger a host of other health problems."

 

Dr Richard Pebody, from Public Health England, said that it is not yet clear if all vaccinations have been recorded and are up-to-date.

 

"NHS England has confirmed that 400,000 vaccinations have been given to adults in risk groups through pharmacies so far this flu season.

 

"It's likely that some of these vaccinations have yet to be entered on to patient records, which could partly be attributing to lower uptake figures in adults so far this season."