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The British Medical Association (BMA) has issued a warning against what it calls widespread "alarmist rhetoric" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members consider if they should proceed with scheduled industrial action in England next week.

Union Reaction to Government Worries

This statement arrives after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, expressed "deeply concerned" about the potential "one-two punch" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming junior doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked that while the union was not "minimizing" 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 declared.

Industrial Action Vote and Possible Timeline

The result of a members' referendum is scheduled for Monday. Should members vote no, a five-day strike will commence on Wednesday.

The government argues its deal includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize professional development costs.

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

Appeals for Focus on a Deal

In a announcement, the BMA appealed to 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 union has also contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Flu Data

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.

Repeating 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 come early this winter. Around 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 only date back to 2021 and so do not capture the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

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

The union indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members vote in favor, a detailed vote would be held on resolving the dispute completely.