HEALTH chiefs have moved to reassure people that they have nothing to fear from a combined swine flu and seasonal flu vaccine.

The swine flu vaccine is to be included in the winter flu jab for the first time in a bid to stop the virus from returning.

In Britain 457 people died during the swine flu pandemic, which cost the Government more than £1.2billion.

Concerns had been raised about the swine flu vaccine after possible side-effects, including narcolepsy, a rare condition which causes people to fall asleep suddenly, were reported in several European countries.

But the Department of Health said there had been no reported cases in Britain, despite the jab being given out more than 5.5million times by March this year.

And NHS East Lancashire, which leads the vaccination programme in East Lancs, said its seasonal flu vaccine would contain the H1N1 swine flu strain as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Dr Sohail Bhatti, the trust’s interim director of public health, said: “Each year the WHO makes recommendations for the production of a seasonal flu vaccine containing the three most common strains of flu at that time.

“Nothing different has happened this year; it just happens that the H1N1 swine flu strain is one of those.

“I would encourage everyone to have their flu jab. My son who is in a risk group will certainly be having his, as protection far outweighs any perceived risks.”

GPs will first identify those eligible to receive a vaccination, including some pregnant women, all people aged 65 years and over, all people aged six months or over in a clinical risk group including those with diabetes, chronic heart, kidney or liver disease, people living in residential care homes and carers of people whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.

The immunisation programme will then run until January 31, 2011.