Muslim parents in the UK want to pull their children from a «non-halal» flu vaccine program

In the United Kingdom, Muslim parents refuse to let their children take part in a national flu vaccine program, Telegraph reports. The Muslim community’s worries were voiced after the Muslim Council of Britain said that the vaccine might not be halal.

Parents believe that the vaccine contains porcine gelatin, a translucent derived from pigs, which is forbidden by Islam.

Public health officials in the UK fear that Muslim children will get excluded from the program, expected to start in schools next month.  

In an attempt to stop Muslim parents from pulling their children from the program, the Royal College of Public Health called on the government to provide a «halal alternative» for Muslim children.

According to the Sun, a halal version of the vaccine does exist but it is only «offered to kids who are at a higher risk of contracting the flu».