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The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" regarding the present influenza outbreak, as its members consider whether to carry out impending walkouts in England the coming week.

BMA Reaction to Government Worries

This statement arrives after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "deeply concerned" about the looming "double whammy" of increasing figures 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 "minimizing" the impact 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 Timeline

The result of a members' referendum is expected on Monday. If it is rejected, a five-day strike will begin on Wednesday.

The government states its offer includes measures that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs training expenses.

Yet, the deal excludes a salary increase. Sir Keir Starmer has commented that pay for resident doctors has grown by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Focus on a Solution

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 union has also contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, saying that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Flu Data

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances 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 "irresponsible" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most vulnerable moment since the pandemic."

Regarding 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 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 capture 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 "under control" of what the NHS could manage and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union said it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members indicate yes, a detailed vote would be held on ending the dispute for good.