HEALTH chiefs and patient watchdogs are hoping a new immunisation programme for four-year-olds gets the go-ahead.

The Department of Health is thought to be drawing up plans to give young children booster injections against whooping cough and measles, mumps and rubella.

Under the proposals, all four-year-olds would be offered the whooping cough vaccine in combination with diptheria and tetanus boosters.

Whitehall is also recommending a measles, mumps and rubella booster as a follow-up to the Operation Safeguard measles campaign in 1994. The plans come despite more than 500 children suffering reported adverse reactions to the vaccines.

In East Lancashire, 93 per cent of local children took part in the 1994 vaccination programme.

Dr Roberta Marshall, East Lancashire Health Authority's communicable disease control expert, said: "We would welcome any idea to try to keep these diseases at bay.

"The vaccines are extremely well tested. They have good systems of surveillance."

Nigel Robinson, chief officer of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community Health Council, said: "We would fully support any plan to increase the immunisation programme, although I know some people worry about possible side-effects."

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