A swine flu vaccine is apparently going to be available from next week on the NHS after being fast-tracked through the European Empire’s approval process.

Since the kids have gone back to school the number of cases has started going back up – as it was predicted to do – but there still haven’t been many deaths.

Swine flu isn’t a nice thing to have and ultimately, of course, it can kill.  But so does normal flu and normal flu will kill more people this winter than swine flu has all year so why is there such an emphasis on preventing swine flu when getting a flu jab in the last few years has been quite a challenge for a lot of people who are in the at-risk bracket?

This swine flu vaccine will be rolled out to medical staff, children and ill people from next week but it hasn’t been tested sufficiently to prove there are no side effects.  In the 1997 swine flu outbreak in America, an untested vaccination was rushed out which ended up killing more people than swine flu did.

With four young children – one with a heart condition – we will shortly have to make the decision as to whether we should get them vaccinated.  What is it they say about food?  If in doubt, throw it out.  I’m inclined to say no and take a chance.