Be sure you get the jab; A major regional flu vaccination campaign gets underway this week. Health Reporter HELEN RAE investigates.

Byline: HELEN RAE

PEOPLE who have underlying health conditions are being urged to protect themselves from swine and seasonal flu by making sure they get their immunisations.

The vaccination programme has been rolled out over the past few weeks with GP surgeries in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland vaccinating frontline healthcare workers and their patients who fall into atrisk categories. Patients and staff have also been vaccinated against seasonal flu.

Dr Mike Guy, medical director for NHS North of Tyne, said: "We are encouraging those at risk to think about protecting themselves, families and patients by having vaccinations for both seasonal and swine flu.

"We also have a duty to protect patients and frontline staff will want to play their part by ensuring that they themselves are immunised."

The vaccine Pandemrix has been licensed and approved by European regulators. Most people will need only one dose. GOOD Wilson, flu resilience Medical experts have welcomed the news healthy children under five will be given the swine flu jab, as regional figures show seven lives have been lost to the virus.

This month Cheryl Ross, of Fawdon, Newcastle, told how her five-year-old son Luke lost his battle with heart problems after he caught the disease.

Last week Government announced more than three million healthy children aged over six months and under five years across the UK are to be given the swine flu jab.

Parents will receive letters from their GP inviting them to bring their children into surgeries, with vaccinations expected to start some time in December or early January.

Under-fives will be prioritised after GPs have finished vaccinating at-risk groups, which include people aged six months to 65 with conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease. Pregnant women and frontline health workers are also being given the jab.

Martin Wilson, director of NHS flu resilience in the North East said: "We very much welcome the news that healthy children under five will be given the vaccine.

"We do want to ensure children are fully protected as evidence suggests they are one of the groups with the highest rates of hospitalisation."

Whitley Bay GP, George Rae, chairman of the - Mar tin of NHS North Eastern British Medical Association said: "It is very sad news that unfortunately there has been seven deaths in the North East and this very much underlines the fact that we must not be complacent. Vaccination is the way forward for atrisk groups and also healthy children aged six months to five years."

Latest figures from NHS North East showed there were 33 hospital admissions over the last week in Tyne and Wear, County Durham, and Northumberland.

England's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said there had been a "very, very striking increase" in the number of under-fives admitted to hospital Under-fives are around three times as likely to end up in hospital as those aged 16 to 64. The number of people who have died with swine flu has risen from 124 in England to 142.

If you fall into the at-risk category contact your GP to make an appointment to get vaccinated.

CAPTION(S):

GOOD NEWS - Martin Wilson, director of NHS flu resilience