Free flu jabs could be extended to all over 60s

Saturday, 18 April 2009 01:53

Health experts from The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are recommending that free flu jabs be routinely offered to all over 60s and should be seriously considered by the government, due to more over 50s being hospitalised.

At present over 65s are eligible for free flu vaccine as well as those over 6 months with underlying health conditions, such as serious heart or kidney disease, diabetes, stroke or weakened immune system from chemotherapy for example. Sufferers from liver disease, multiple sclerosis and similar may qualify too. But should all over 60s be routinely offered the jab?

The government at present have yet to be convinced that this move is necessary or cost effective. A spokesman from the Department of Health said: "Currently people aged 65 or over and those aged over six months with certain clinical conditions, including respiratory diseases, qualify for a free flu jab. The chief medical officer's recently published guidance for 'flu preparations next winter has not made any changes to these risk groups."

Indeed, mass flu vaccination programmes may not be the answer to preventing outbreaks. For example, past research has indicated that vaccinations are not saving the lives of the elderly as a whole. Despite the fact that over 15 million people in England have been vaccinated every winter, hospital admissions of elderly folk has soared.

Indeed it seems a better policy to focus more on improving quality of lifestyle leading to better health among the elderly and middle aged. Various improvement for example in housing and helping people to stop smoking and better diet too would be effective in preventing so many outbreaks.

It's true that vaccination jabs for susceptible people may lessen the impact of the illness once contracted and save many lives especially as the immune system often weakens with advancing age and there are a number of viruses being passed on.

The last word in the matter comes from ordinary folk who have had flu jabs. Most say that they caught the flu after their jab! One lady said that once she and her husband stopped having the jabs they stopped getting flu too!

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