British families have suffered from "muddled policies" this winter, leading to a failure to vaccinate children against the swine flu, a British expert alleged yesterday.
Professor John Oxford hit out during a visit to Kingston University in south west London.
He said children under five should now be vaccinated against the flu and he would be "surprised and disappointed" if it was not done next winter.
Professor Oxford, professor of virology at Barts and the London Medical School, said: "We don’t want a repeat of this next year. Other countries like Canada and the United States have vaccinated their children and we should do the same."
He referred to the doctor and nurse couple, Zana and Gemma Ameen, who lost their daughter Lana, aged three, to the flu.
He said: "Although it was too late for their own child, they found the strength to say that other people’s children should be vaccinated so that they did not suffer in the way that their daughter did."
A Department of Health spokesperson said the policy of not vaccinating all children had been based on advice from independent experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations.
The department said the committee would be reconsidering this in coming months.
The spokesperson said: "Current policy on vaccination is based on the latest advice from independent experts, which has been clear that best use of the flu vaccine is to protect children from six months upwards who are in at risk groups.
"Experts have not recommended the vaccination of children who do not have risk factors.
"This advice was reviewed recently and the JCVI did not change its recommendation. However, this is constantly reviewed and the JCVI will look at this again in the coming months."
Professor Oxford was visiting Kingston to receive an honorary doctorate in science.
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