As concerns about flu rise in the United Kingdom, it's being claimed pharmacies in the Isle of Man have all but run out of flu vaccine.

A total of 50 people, mostly children and young adults, have died in the UK since the outbreak began in October, and there are fears the virus could spread as children return to school and adults to work after the Christmas break.

Yesterday (Thursday), the chief medical officer in the UK wrote to GPs, encouraging them to order old stocks of swine flu vaccine to help deal with the current shortage.

Pharmacist Edwin Kinrade, from Kinrade's Pharmacy in Douglas, says there has been a very high uptake of the vaccination programme on the Island this winter, and stocks of vaccine are almost exhausted.

Mr Kinrade doesn't believe manufacturers have more stock available at present, and vaccines aren't stockpiled from year to year, as each new one is tailored for the next flu season: