On learning that concern over the safety and effectiveness of the influenza vaccine is spreading fast among health professionals, experts have assured that flu jabs are completely safe and that future flu treatment drives should be geared at clearing the misconceptions.

Conducted by researchers from King's College London and the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, the study involved 522 trained nurses who responded to a set of questions about influenza treatment, flu vaccine in particular. They also shared information regarding their vaccination history and why they took or turned down flu shots.

Quite surprisingly, it was found that only 37% of participants got themselves vaccinated against influenza last year and 45% never took the shots in the last 5 years.

While 63% of the subjects said they avoided flu shots because they were concerned about the after effects, 56% said they didn't believe there was any need to go for vaccination to beat the respiratory infection. 36% of those surveyed said they were worried about the reliability and efficacy of the much-touted flu vaccine and preferred not to take it.

Commenting on the findings, study associate Ian Norman said future anti-flu campaigns should be designed to churn out accurate information about flu shots, so as to ensure high-risk groups such as health workers are not fed with myths and misconceptions. Co-author Dr Alison White noted that flu awareness drives in the coming years should be exhaustive and long-term in order to break some people's deeply rooted 'habit' of ignoring the jabs.

According to NHS officials, primary caregivers who tend to flu-infected patients should take additional precautions to protect themselves against the infection and taking flu shots is the best proactive means to keep flu at bay.