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The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "alarmist rhetoric" regarding the current influenza outbreak, while its members consider the possibility of impending walkouts in England the coming week.

BMA Response to Ministerial Concerns

This statement arrives after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "extremely worried" about the potential "one-two punch" of soaring counts 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 "downplaying" the severity 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.

Industrial Action Ballot and Potential Timeline

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

Ministers says its deal includes laws that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs training expenses.

However, the deal excludes a pay rise. Sir Keir Starmer has stated that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Solution

In a announcement, the BMA urged the health secretary to "focus his time and attention 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 called in to work to "uphold safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Influenza Data

In an interview with 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 accepted an offer to reschedule the industrial action 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 precarious moment since the pandemic."

Regarding the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual this winter. An average of 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the highest for this time of year on record 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 rising numbers, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "under control" of what the NHS could cope with and that hospitals were more ready 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 cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a second ballot would be held on ending the dispute completely.