Rector calls for pandemic flu jabs

Saturday 13th October 2007, 12:00AM BST.

A PETITION may be launched to ensure that every Islander gets protected from pandemic flu.

St Saviour’s rector, the Rev Anthony Swindell, says that the recent decision to scrap plans to buy anti-flu vaccines for every man, woman and child in the Island is ‘incredibly short-sighted’ and should be reversed. He says that he is willing to organise a petition to let the public have their say. In one of his first acts as Health Minister, Senator Ben Shenton decided not to follow through on plans to secure medicine to protect every Islander, saying that the ‘value for money’ case for the £4m plan had not been made. Mr Swindell says: ‘I am very concerned about the decision. There was a great blaze of publicity when the Chief Minister announced that there was going to be protection for all. It would be a very small investment in terms of the total finances of the Island.’

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