At least 2 people have died of meningitis when their symptoms were mis-diagnosed as being those of swine flu.
Meninigitis can have the same symptoms as flu, including cold hands and feet along with aching limbs. As cases of the illness rise in the autumn, careful diagnosis of both illnesses needs to be undertaken, particulalry as under five year olds tend to deteriorate quickly with Meningitis. (more…)
The government is pushing forward 14 research projects costing £2.25 million in order to provide clinical evidence that will help the them decide how to respond to the swine flu virus pandemic moving forward. (more…)
Having been away on holiday for two weeks in the sun, I must admit the fear of catching swine flu had temporarily receeded, although it still crossed my mind that catching the virus on the ferry crossing was a real possibility (being confined in a crowded place with other families) and could still have ruined our summer fun. (more…)
As a home worker myself for many years here are my Top Ten Tips to help employers set up their employees with the ability to work from home or other location during the swine flu pandemic, produced in conjunction with ‘Pandemic Flu Guideliness for Business’: (more…)
Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary has publicly stated that Swine Flu is a greater threat to the UK than terrorism. As always a certain amount of perspective needs to be added around this statement. In the National Risk Register, published by the Cabinet Office, the likelhood of an attack on transport, crowded places or via an electronic means is actually higher than that of pandemic influenza. (more…)
65,000 deaths due to swine flu. That is the assumption which Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson is working upon as reported in the press today, which could equate to 350 deaths per day. It is expected that around a third of the UK population will contract the virus and around 10% of the working population will be absent at any one time. Young, seemilgly healthy children are dying, the latest victim being a six year old boy from Kent. If ever there was a time to start panicking, surely it is now? (more…)
In the Daily Telegraph on the 11th July Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent, reported that ministers are considering allowing workers to take two weeks off work without a sick note in a bid to minimise the spread of the swine flu (H1N1) virus. (more…)
On a day when it is revealed that the swine flu vaccine will be available for the whole of the UK population, the illness also claims two more victims, a six year old girl, and a GP from Bedfordshire as reported on sky news. In addition the flu has also reached 10 Downing Street where an Aide has the infection. (more…)
Even though the severity of the current flu pandemic is not as everyone had feared, I am still hearing of increasing cases of the illness, and they are getting closer to home. Having spoken to people within business circles it is also starting to affect offices, and I heard of one man who was asked to stay at home because his wife had contracted the H1N1 virus. He was healthy and able to work, but was restricted from coming into the office. (more…)
The government is predicting that up to 100,000 new cases of swine flu could be reported each day by the end of August. New advice is being given that anyone suffering with symptoms should stay at home and nominate a ‘flu friend’ to go and pick up anti-viral drungs which should then be posted through the sufferer’s letter box. It is clear that the spread of the virus is gathering pace and it will not be long until major outbreaks within public gatherings cause mass absenteeism within the UK’s industry sectors. (more…)
