HEALTH officials say children in East Yorkshire will continue to be vaccinated against swine flu despite a national helpline and website closing down later this month.

The National Pandemic Flu Service will be stood down on Thursday following a steady decline in the number of reports of new cases of swine flu.

Anyone who believes they have swine flu from that date will be told to contact their GP rather than the national helpline.

Children aged six months to five-years-old will either be vaccinated by their GP or through a clinic arranged by NHS Hull or NHS East Riding of Yorkshire until at least the end of March.

Jim Deacon, assistant director of emergency planning for the NHS in the Humber region, said the vaccinations will continue to be offered because swine flu is "likely to become part of seasonal flu for next year".

About 450 of 18,000 children eligible in Hull have so far been vaccinated through clinics organised by NHS Hull.

However, it is not yet clear how many children have been vaccinated by Hull GPs.

Meanwhile, 750 out of 13,000 eligible East Riding children have received the vaccination through GPs and in clinics organised by NHS East Riding of Yorkshire.

Mr Deacon said: "The reason we are still vaccinating children now is it may give them some protection against flu next winter.

"What has been unusual about the pandemic is it's mainly affected young people.

"With most pandemics, you would expect it to be people who are vulnerable, elderly and people with long term conditions.

"But it's become a virus which seems to affect children far more, which has taken us by surprise, hence the vaccination programme for children.

"That's not to say it doesn't affect adults, but it has been children that are worst affected."

Pregnant women and people in "at risk" groups will also continue to be offered the vaccine by their GP until at least the end of March.

Frontline NHS staff, people in "at risk" groups such as those with chronic respiratory disease, and children aged six months to five-years-old, have been offered the vaccination over the last few months.