Download Swine flu the good news and the bad news

Swine flu the good news and the bad news;
In brief the bad news is that swine flu has arrived, and is spreading
rapidly, the good news, so far it is less severe than our usual
“seasonal” flu.
As we all know, we are in the early stages of an influenza pandemic.
This pandemic has been long anticipated and planned for, experts
opinion had always held that the emergence of a new influenza
virus, which would spread rapidly amongst the population, was
inevitable. Swine flu, or H1N1 flu fulfils that description, it spreads
rapidly amongst the population, and it is a novel virus, therefore
there is little protection from it from our natural immunity or
previous influenza vaccinations.
The symptoms of swine flu are the same as seasonal flu, sudden
onset fever associated with 2 other symptoms including headache,
sore throat, runny nose, muscle and joint pains , cough and
diahorrea. Swine flu so far has proven to be a very mild illness,
most fit healthy people feel make a recovery within a week, there is
only a significant risk of serious illness in people with other health
issues. Less than one patient in a hundred with swine flu has
needed hospital care.
Antiviral drugs reduce the length of the illness by about a day, and
are currently available to high risk groups, children under 5, people
with chronic lung, heart, liver or kidney disease, people with
diabetes , cancer or immuno suppression, and the over 65s.
If you have flu symptoms and are in one of the groups above,
please contact the practice for a telephone consultation, where
we will assess you and organise face to face, assessment or access
to antiviral drugs as appropriate.
If you are not in the high risk group, please stay at home, take
regular paracetamol or other painkillers, rest and plenty of fluids.
The flu virus spreads through droplets, remember to cover you
mouth with you had when you cough, use tissues to manage your
runny nose, and bin tissues when used. Wash you hands frequently.
Please contact the practice by telephone if you think you, or one of
your family or friends may have complications of swine flu, such as
chest pain not relieved by simple painkillers, significant shortness of
breath, significant fever ( above 38c) not controlled by cooling
measures, or headache not relieved by painkillers
There are no antiviral drugs available for people not in the high risk
groups, or fit contacts of patients with swine flu, and the practice
cannot prescribe antiviral drugs.
Please bear in mind that the health service is likely to be very
stretched in the next few months if the pandemic increases as we
suspect it will. There will be more ill people to care for, and
probably more staff absence, due to illness.
Please be responsible, think carefully before booking an
appointment, could it be managed on the phone? do you really need
to see a doctor or a nurse? If you do book an appointment please
don’t miss it.
Please prepare in advance, make sure you have enough food drinks
and “flu medications” in the house in the anticipation that you may
become ill suddenly. Watch out for elderly or vulnerable neighbours,
and friends, particularly if they live alone- every one needs a “flu
buddy”
Please don’t come the surgery or Hospital if you have flu like
symptoms, you might spread it to the staff, or to vulnerable
patients who could come to harm.
Please bear with us, we aim, and have planned to maintain the
service come what may, but it might become a limited service.
We hope a vaccine will become available, but it will probably be late
August or early September at the earliest before it is available, and
those most at risk will get it first. If and when a vaccine becomes
available we will do our best to make it available as soon as
possible.
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