HEALTH chiefs have told parents not to panic about their young children getting swine flu.

Current guidelines say youngsters, under five-years-old, with no health problems do not need the vaccine.

However, families who want the jab have found they can’t pay for it at pharmacies because they are not legally able to administer them to children.

Kelly Ashworth, 34, of Hera Close, Southchurch, had the swine flu jab last year when expecting her son Joseph. Her daughter Cerys, four, also received the jab, as the policy at the time was to give the vaccine to children.

Miss Ashworth said: “I am now scared of taking my children out and want the Government to change its policy.

“I have stopped my daughter going to playschool.

“We’ve all seen the advert with the child on the bus who picks up germs and brings them home. Hardly two weeks go by without Cerys picking up some bug or another. All I want to do is to protect my children.”

Stuart Norton, 32, Miss Ashworth’s partner, said: “When will the Government wake up and take notice of public opinion. Each day we see another incident in the news of another perfectly healthy person with no underlying medical conditions dying from swine flu.

“The numbers are getting staggering, especially with children.

“Many families are in the ridiculous situation where the only people in the household who cannot get a jab are the ones with the lowest immune system.

“Our household is a perfect example.”

But NHS South East Essex said parents of healthy children had little to fear.

The trust said it is following the national vaccine policy of offering the flu vaccination to people, including children if they are in the at-risk groups.

Dr Danny Showell, consultant in public health for the trust said: “Healthy children are not at elevated risk and so they are not eligible for the flu vaccination under the NHS.

“A healthy mother with a healthy child would not be considered to be at risk from usual social interactions.

“The vaccine policy is driven by the independent scientific Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. This helps to ensure vaccines are given according to clinical need.”