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The British Medical Association (BMA) has issued a warning against what it calls public "fearmongering" about the current flu outbreak, as its members decide on whether to carry out planned strikes in England the coming week.

BMA Reaction to Ministerial Worries

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "deeply concerned" about the potential "combined impact" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "minimizing" the severity of flu, Mr. Streeting "should not 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," correspondence from the union noted.

Strike Ballot and Possible Schedule

The decision of a BMA ballot is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a week-long walkout will commence on Wednesday.

Ministers states its proposal includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs exam fees.

But, the deal omits a salary increase. The Prime Minister has commented that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Calls for Attention on a Deal

In a release, the BMA urged 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, saying that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Influenza Statistics

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "probably the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned why the BMA hadn't accepted an offer to push the strike back to January.

Echoing the health secretary, the prime minister said the "reckless" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most challenging 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.

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.

Despite the increasing figures, the senior doctor for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could handle and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members agree, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on resolving the dispute completely.