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The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" concerning the ongoing flu outbreak, while its members consider if they should proceed with planned strikes in England the coming week.

BMA Response to Government Concerns

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "extremely worried" about the potential "double whammy" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching junior doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, said that while the union was not "downplaying" the severity of flu, Mr. Streeting "ought not to be scaremongering the public into thinking that the NHS will not be able to look after them."

"As doctors, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," a letter from the union noted.

Industrial Action Vote and Potential Schedule

The result of a members' referendum is scheduled for Monday. Should members vote no, a five-day strike will start on Wednesday.

The government argues its proposal includes legislation that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for professional development costs.

But, the deal omits a wage hike. Sir Keir Starmer has commented that pay for resident doctors has risen by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a announcement, the BMA appealed to the health secretary to "devote his efforts on offering a deal that will stop next week's strikes going ahead, rather than making claims that strike action could cause the NHS to collapse."

The BMA has also notified chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, saying that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Flu Data

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "probably the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He asked why the BMA hadn't taken up an offer to reschedule the industrial action to January.

Repeating the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most vulnerable moment since the pandemic."

Concerning the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. An average of 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the greatest for this time of year since records began in 2021.

However, these records start from 2021 and so do not capture the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

In spite of the increasing figures, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could cope with and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to cancel Wednesday's strikes. Should members vote in favor, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute entirely.