Lansley faces flu ‘U-turn’ claim
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has been accused of a humiliating climbdown after he stepped up the government’s publicity campaign about flu vaccinations.
It follows figures from the Health Protection Agency which showed that the number of people in intensive care with suspected or confirmed flu had shot up to 738, including 42 under-fives.
Labour had been criticising the government for not pressing ahead with flu vaccinations for all under-fives, frustrating ministers who pointed out that decision had been made by independent advisers.
After Mr Lansley announced a stepping-up of the Catch It, Bin It, Kill It campaign, with new national press and radio adverts from Saturday, shadow health secretary John Healey accused him of making a “U-turn”.
“The health secretary made a serious misjudgement when he axed the annual autumn advertising campaign to help public understanding of this flu and boost vaccinations for those most at risk,” he said.
“At a time when the NHS is stretched and playing catch up, the decision he has taken today is better late than never.”
This winter has seen only those children aged under five who are deemed to be in at-risk groups vaccinated – a step backwards from the universal under-five vaccinations seen in the previous year.
“To help ease pressures on the NHS I want to remind people what we can all do to prevent the spread of flu,” Mr Lansley said yesterday.
“The first line of defence against flu is to be vaccinated – I urge everyone in an at risk group who hasn’t been vaccinated to contact their GP and book an appointment.”
Good respiratory and hand hygiene, combined with “a well prepared NHS with the ability to treat those who do need help”, would also help, he argued.
But Mr Healey said GPs had been let down by the government, pointing out that concerns about swine flu had not been properly addressed.
“Doctors were willing to make a special effort with children under five,” he added.
“Now the NHS is stretched and playing catch-up, because vaccination levels for those most at risk are down on last year. People who should be protected are not and the public is not clear about who is most at risk and how to respond to flu in the family.”
