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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls public "fearmongering" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members vote on whether to carry out impending walkouts in England the coming week.

Union Reaction to Government Worries

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the looming "one-two punch" of increasing figures of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked that while the union was not "diminishing" the impact of flu, Mr. Streeting "must avoid scaremongering the public into thinking that the NHS will not be able to look after them."

"In our role as physicians, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," a letter from the union stated.

Strike Ballot and Potential Timeline

The outcome of a union vote is due on Monday. Should members vote no, a week-long walkout will begin on Wednesday.

The government states its offer includes laws that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize training expenses.

Yet, the deal omits a pay rise. The Prime Minister has commented that pay for resident doctors has risen by 28.9% over the past three years.

Calls for Focus on a Solution

In a statement, 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 written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Government Response and Flu Statistics

In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the current situation was "perhaps the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned why the BMA hadn't taken up an offer to push the strike back to January.

Mirroring the health secretary, the prime minister said the "reckless" strikes "should not happen" while the NHS is facing its "most challenging moment since the pandemic."

Concerning the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual this winter. Approximately 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the highest for this time of year since records began in 2021.

It is important to note, these records start from 2021 and so do not include the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

In spite of the rising numbers, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "well within the boundaries" of what the NHS could cope with and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to cancel Wednesday's strikes. Should members vote in favor, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on ending the dispute completely.