11:03am Wednesday 1st November 2006
By Anna Youssef
A PENSIONER has offered to give up his flu jab to help a young asthma sufferer who has been denied immunisation.
Alf Hales, aged 87, takes up his medical practice's offer of the precautionary vaccine each year.
But after reading in The Bolton News that five-year-old asthmatic Thomas Dyer had been told by his doctor he would not be eligible for the jab, Mr Hales offered to give his jab to the youngster.
The charity worker, who lives in Booth Road, Little Lever, said: "It's a disgrace that a child with his condition is being denied this jab.
"I'm in reasonably good health but my district nurse will give me the injection because my age makes me high risk.
"If the boy is being refused because of a shortage, I want him to have mine, he needs it more than me."
Mr Hales falls into the Government's high-risk category because he is over 65 years old. Asthmatics are also a high priority, according to guidelines issued to surgeries by the Chief Medical Officer.
Thomas, of Embla Walk, Great Lever, has suffered from several asthma attacks and must use two inhalers when his condition is at its worst.
He has received the vaccine in previous years but when he was taken to his medical practice last week, his mother, Caroline, claims she was told by a nurse that he no longer met the criteria because he did not necessarily use his inhaler daily.
However, Miss Dyer said she would not deprive Mr Hales of his vaccine.
She said: "It's a lovely gesture but I could not take the jab from an elderly person. He's very kind but he shouldn't have to offer it, it should be available for Thomas without going to that length."
Miss Dyer and Mr Hales attend different surgeries but even if they were registered with the same GP, Thomas may not be able to accept Mr Hales vaccine.
Veronica Swinburne, communications manager for Bolton Primary Care Trust, said: "The doctors follow guidelines and decide who is eligible.
"A patient can refuse the vaccination but it does not mean someone else can take it up."
Miss Dyer is now hoping her son will be reconsidered for the vaccine after being diagnosed with a lung infection on Friday, forcing him to use his inhaler every day.
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