Key health and council workers in Calderdale and Kirklees are to be immunised against flu so they are fit to cope with Millennium celebrations.

Around 10,000 social workers, hospital and nursing home staff will have flu jabs during the next month to avoid a flu outbreak threatening services as happened last January.

Dr Chris Veal, medical director for Calderdale and Kirklees Health Authority, said: "The Millennium is an unknown quantity and we will need a lot of people working and available to work.

"We're preparing to cope with up to four times as many people needing medical treatment because of the all the street parties, alcoholism and accidents.

"This year we have extra bank holidays during Christmas and New Year which will cause more strain."

Dr Veal said the decision to introduce voluntary immunisation for staff had been made after a Millennium planning meeting between medical agencies and Calderdale and Kirklees councils.

He said the Millennium Bug was not a major factor behind the immunisation plan and contingency plans were in place in the "unlikely" event that water, gas or electricity supplies broke down.

Vulnerable members of the public, such as the over-75s, people with chronic diseases and those living in nursing homes, are also being urged to get a flu jab.

Dr Veal said: "If a nursing home loses too many staff through illness it would be closed down and residents would need to go to another home or hospital.

"Obviously we need to avoid such situations because we know we are going to be busy.

"This is the first time we have immunised staff and there are no plans to do it again in the future."

Last December and January a flu outbreak stretched medical services to the limit in West Yorkshire.

Kirklees Council is to spend £10,670 from its own resources to immunise 2,450 social services and other key staff.

The flu jab reduces the chance of getting the virus by two-thirds.

Kirklees employee healthcare manager Helen Smith said: "Our social services staff provide a lifeline to many vulnerable people so when the Health Authority suggested a vaccination programme we agreed."

A spokesman for Bradford Council said the Authority was not immunising its staff.

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