> Kingston GPs refuse swine flu vaccine

> 6:50am Thursday 5th November 2009

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> By David Lindsell »

> A leading Kingston GP has said he may not take the swine flu vaccination
> because it "has been rushed out" but has advised vulnerable patients to
> have the free jab.

> As many as 22,000 people identified as high-risk including pensioners,
> pregnant women and cancer patients in Kingston will start to receive
> letters over the next few weeks from GPs to arrange vaccinations against
> the pandemic.

> A further 3,900 frontline NHS and social care staff including nurses,
> doctors, and care home workers will also be offered the vaccination as
> part of the first wave of injections.

> The number of cases is expected to rise after a summer lull when only
> 2,000 people collected Tamiflu for swine flu.

> Doctors and nurses have been urged to take the injection amid fears many
> NHS staff will refuse because they believe the vaccine has not been
> properly tested.

> But Dr Jeremy Harris, chairman of the Kingston and Richmond Local Medical
> Committee and who described himself as a needle-phobic, said he would wait
> and see.

> He said: "I'm considering my options. I think there may be some issues
> about how extensively it has been tested.

> "I'm not in any at-risk group. We are all aware that the vaccine has been
> rushed out.

> "But there's no doubt that people at risk should have the vaccine."

> But Dr Jonathan Hildebrand, director of public health for NHS Kingston,
> said the jab was safe.

> He said: "The vaccine has been rigorously tested and is the best line of
> defence against this virus so I would strongly urge all of those in the
> priority groups to have the vaccine.

> "The swine flu vaccine does not provide protection against seasonal flu,
> so patients who normally get the seasonal flu jab will still need to have
> that separately."

> A spokesman said in order to be licensed the vaccine must be safe and said
> a question and answerleaflet would be handed out by GPs to patients on its
> safety.

> Nobody has been hospitalised or died from swine flu so far - despite worst
> case scenarios predicting 155 people dying from the pandemic.

> Dr Michael Barry, of private Coombe Medical Practice, said after weighing
> up the pros and cons neither he, his wife or children would take the
> vaccine and admitted his refusal could damage the public health message
> NHS Kingston was trying to spread.

> He said: "I don't think it is irresponsible. I think it is responsible and
> I think it is not totally honest with your patients not to declare your
> own status.

> "I think it will have a knock-on effect as I think they want GPs not only
> to support it but take it as well. I think quite a lot of GPs will not be
> having it."
> The at-risk patients:

> . Pregnant women

> . Household contacts of people with compromised immune systems, eg people
> in regular close contact with patients on treatment for cancer

> . People aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical
> at-risk groups. This does not include otherwise healthy over 65-year-olds,
> as they appear to have some natural immunity to the virus.

> Source: Kingston NHS