Swine Flu H1N1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#808080" TEXT="#080000" background="044b8573.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>MEDI-MAIL</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MEDIMAIL"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="jobs26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Medical Information">Medical Information</A>   |   <B>Swine Flu H1N1</B>   |   <A HREF="jobs28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Childrens health">Childrens health</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Travel Health">Travel Health</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs2b.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Malaria">Malaria</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs2c.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vitamins">Vitamins</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs3c.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Doctor will see you now">The Doctor will see you now</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs3d.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How much water does our body need?">How much water does our body need?</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tips">Tips</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Telltale signs of diabetes">Tell-tale signs of diabetes</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs4a.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NaturalMedicines">NaturalMedicines</A>   |   <A HREF="jobs4e.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Did You Know...">Did You Know...</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#808080" TEXT="#080000" background="045d2083.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="0925e370.png" border=0 width="94" height="55" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04605053.jpg"> <div> <I>Swine Flu H1N1</I></div> <div> <B><U>Latest news</U></B></div> <div> The number of cases of swine flu in England has continued to fall. The Health Protection Agency estimates there were 11,000 new cases in England last week, compared with 25,000 the week before.</div> <div> Cases of swine flu have fallen in all age groups and in all regions. The disease has been generally mild in most people so far, but is proving severe in a small minority of cases.</div> <div> Swine flu vaccine</div> <div> The government has announced that priority for the swine flu vaccine will be given to at-risk groups. These include pregnant women and people with serious underlying health conditions.</div> <div> Vaccinations for these groups are expected to begin in the autumn. Steps are being taken to extend the vaccination programme to other people once this stage has been completed.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>NATIONAL FLU PANDEMIC SERVICE</U></B></div> <div> WELCOME TO THE NATIONAL PANDEMIC FLU SERVICE</div> <bR> <div> The National Pandemic Flu Service has been launched in England.</div> <div> If you are in England and feel like you may have swine flu, visit the new website by following the link below, or call 0800 1 513 100 (textphone - 0800 1 513 200).</div> <div> People who have swine flu symptoms will be given a unique access number and told where their nearest antiviral collection point is. They should then ask a flu friend - a friend or relative who doesn't have swine flu - to go and pick up their antivirals from their nearest antiviral collection point. The flu friend must show their own ID as well as that of the patient.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Check your symptoms</U></B></div> <div>  Follow the link below or call 0800 1 513 100 (textphone - 0800 1 513 200)</div> <div> National Pandemic Flu Service</div> <bR> <div> This service is for patients in England who may have flu.</div> <bR> <div> The purpose of this service</div> <bR> <div> This service will assess the patient’s symptoms and, if required, provide an authorisation number, which can be used in England to collect antivirals from a local Antiviral Collection Point.</div> <bR> <div> This service is only for people with high temperature and other symptoms which are likely to be caused by swine flu.</div> <bR> <div> You can get more information about flu symptoms from www.nhs.uk and the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513.</div> <bR> <div> If you have severe symptoms which are not like flu you should contact your GP or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 in England, NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24 in Scotland or NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647.</div> <bR> <div> What you will need to use this service</div> <bR> <div> To use this service you will need the following information about the patient:</div> <bR> <div> Their date of birth</div> <div> Their current symptoms</div> <div> Their history of any serious medical conditions</div> <div> Their home address including postcode</div> <div> You will also need a pen and paper to write down information we give you.</div> <bR> <div> If you do not have all of these, please go and get them before carrying on with the service.</div> <bR> <div> Swine flu information</div> <bR> <div> Residents of England, please go to www.nhs.uk or www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu or call the swine flu information line on 0800 1513513</div> <bR> <div> Residents of Scotland, please go to www.nhs24.com .</div> <bR> <div> Residents of Wales, please go to www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk or www.wales.gov.uk/health .</div> <bR> <div> Residents of Northern Ireland, please go to www.dhsspsni.gov.uk or www.publichealth.hscni.net or call the Northern Ireland Swine Flu Help Line on 0800 0514142.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Swine flu - everything you need to know</U></B></div> <bR> <div> The sections below provide health and travel advice and more information on what swine flu is, what to do if you think you have it and what the government is doing to help combat it.</div> <bR> <div> What is swine flu and how serious is it?</div> <bR> <div> Go to NHS Choices for health advice on swine flu, including causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment</div> <div> Swine flu - NHS ChoicesOpens new window</div> <div> A new strain of Influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, was confirmed in the UK in April and has spread to nearly 200 countries around the world.</div> <div> Although symptoms have generally proved mild, a small number of patients will develop more serious illness. Many of these people have other underlying health conditions, such as heart or lung disease, that put them at increased risk.</div> <div> Symptoms</div> <div> Check your symptoms</div> <div>  </div> <div> Follow the link below or call 0800 1 513 100 (textphone - 0800 1 513 200)</div> <div> National Pandemic Flu ServiceOpens new window</div> <div> The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal flu and include:</div> <div> fever</div> <div> lack of energy</div> <div> lack of appetite</div> <div> coughing</div> <div> Some people with swine flu also have reported:</div> <div> runny nose</div> <div> sore throat</div> <div> nausea</div> <div> vomiting</div> <div> diarrhoea</div> <div> As with any sort of influenza, how bad and how long the symptoms last will depend on treatment and the patient’s individual circumstances.</div> <div> Most cases reported in the UK have been relatively mild, with those affected starting to recover within a week.</div> <div> National Pandemic Flu ServiceOpens new window</div> <div> Symptoms of swine flu - NHS ChoicesOpens new window</div> <div> Who is at risk?</div> <div> Some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu. It is vital that people in these higher risk groups get anti-viral drugs and start taking them as soon as possible – within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.</div> <div> Health authorities are still learning about the swine flu virus, but the following people are known to be at higher risk:</div> <div> pregnant women</div> <div> people aged 65 years and older</div> <div> young children under five years old</div> <div> People suffering from the following illnesses are also at increased risk:</div> <div> chronic lung disease</div> <div> chronic heart disease</div> <div> chronic kidney disease</div> <div> chronic liver disease</div> <div> chronic neurological disease</div> <div> Immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment)</div> <div> Diabetes mellitus</div> <div> patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years</div> <div> If you think you have swine flu</div> <div> If you are in England and you think you have swine flu, check your symptoms online by following the National Pandemic Flu Service link below, or call 0800 1 513 100 (0800 1 513 200 for textphone).</div> <div> Contact your GP directly if:</div> <div> you have a serious underlying illness</div> <div> you are pregnant</div> <div> you have a sick child under one year old</div> <div> your condition suddenly gets much worse</div> <div> your condition is still getting worse after seven days (five for a child)</div> <div> Follow the links below for more information.</div> <div> National Pandemic Flu ServiceOpens new window</div> <div> Find a local GPOpens new window</div> <div> Swine flu - treatment and prevention</div> <div> Swine flu advice for parents and pregnant women</div> <div> Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland</div> <div> As there have been fewer cases of swine flu in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the advice is different.</div> <div> If you are in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and you think you might have swine flu, follow the link below.</div> <div> Swine flu - information around the UK</div> <div> Advice for businesses</div> <div> Follow the link below for information on how to prepare your business for swine flu.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Swine flu advice for parents and pregnant women</U></B></div> <bR> <div> While most pregnant women with swine flu will only have mild symptoms, there is a higher risk of complications. If you are pregnant and think you may have swine flu, or have a sick child under one year old, call your GP - do not use the new National Pandemic Flu Service.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Swine flu - treatment and prevention</U></B></div> <bR> <div> If you are in England, you can get antivirals to treat swine flu from a local collection point without seeing your GP. If you are in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, contact your GP or specific helpline. Reduce your risk of catching swine flu by following good hand hygiene – CATCH IT, BIN IT, KILL IT.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Get swine flu updates on your mobile</U></B></div> <bR> <div> You can get up-to-date swine flu information on your mobile, including health and travel advice, key messages, symptoms, who to contact and more.</div> <div> How to get it</div> <div> To access the service, text FLU to 83377. You will then receive a text message with a link. Open the link to view Directgov Mobile.</div> <div> You can alternatively enter www.direct.gov.uk/mobile into your phone's internet browser.</div> <div> All texts are free, standard browsing rates apply.</div> <div> The cost</div> <div> As with the website, Directgov does not charge you to use any of its mobile services. However, your mobile network operator may charge you to access the internet on your phone. Costs will vary depending on your phone contract so check with your operator to find out about tariffs.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>