Pandemic (Swine) Flu

[CycoSymz]

One of my workmates has gone to be tested. Hope he's clear, that's the last thing I need at the moment.

[AntiSilence]

Originally Posted by Flange

One of my workmates has gone to be tested. Hope he's clear, that's the last thing I need at the moment.

You're ok... I was chatting with him this morning before we were told about it! Lucky you being off... Apart from your pain of course lol

[Hom3r]

This is an email we received today.

Ladies and Gentlemen

As you know from our previous communications we have been put on level 5 at Stansted with regards to the AH1N1 swine flu outbreak in the UK. You are also probably aware that we have been preparing for a number years for such a situation and we have confidence in our preparations.

There has been some potential cases reported at our (Where I work) location and we have of course implemented our controls to protect our employees. The NHS in the UK will now not confirm cases, only offer treatment for symptoms as the strategy has now changed and this means we need to be more vigilant in ensuring that we contain any further cases.

As a precaution we will be imposing the following restrictions within the facility from today the 15th July.

1) No business travel either to of from the (Where I work) Facility for 14 days (16th - 30th July 2009). All arranged meetings will need to be conducted either via Video Conference or Tele Conference and all external (Clients & Suppliers) appointments will need to be rescheduled.

2) Please ensure that the personal hygiene and infection prevention guidelines are followed rigidly

3) We will begin weekly reporting by the management team to HR on a Wednesday via a spreadsheet that will be supplied shortly

4) Any person showing or feeling any of the symptoms of a cold or flu must stay at home, contact the NHS for guidance on treatment and inform their line manager immediately. Note the NHS website is www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Flu/PandemicFlu/DH_065006

5) Any person staying at home with symptoms must do so for 4 days after the symptoms have ceased and maintain daily contact with your line manager

6) Self Certification will be required

I would like to thank you in advance for your support in (My company)’s actions going forward to ensure common sense prevails and that it is consistently applied and reduce the level of risk at (Where I work).

In addition to the current actions people should be taking to avoid infection, we will be placing additional sanitiser Gels in all Kitchens and Toilets and encourage you all to use these often.

If you have nay further questions then please do not hesitate to contact myself or xxxx

So having a mum who is a possble risk of infection victim, I asked the following.

Surely as two people have gone home with "Swine flu" symptoms, should (Where I work) not be shut for a number of days to stop the risk of any further spead of this to our colleges and our families?

He responded.

I appreciate your concerns, however this approach has been adopted within other (Company name) sites within the UK. The actual risk is low to all people and the steps we have taken are purely as a precaution. As mentioned in the previous email these plans have been prepared and reviewed several times over the last few years, and is based on common procedures used across the global business community. All countries that are also at Level 5 have implemented the same process in such a situation.

The situation is being monitored closely by the management team, and the UK crisis management team to ensure that suitable action are being taken.

So basically we can all go to work and possibly spread this and stuff us and our families, aslong as we do our job, (even though they are shutting us down).

[Caspar]

Work emailed us all this today:

We are aware that we have sent a communication this week about Swine Flu, but as there is still a lot of media attention we thought it best to re-advise, as much of the advice given by the health authorities is not to panic.

Although the Health Authorities stance has gone from containment to treatment, it still remains: ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’. However, if people feel they have contracted the virus they should stay at home, and contact their GP or Local Authority/NHS Direct to obtain advice and medication.

We have been lucky so far in that we have had no directly reported cases; however, the bigger risk is that someone who has the virus attends work, putting others at risk; so I am asking for your help with this.

Below are the symptoms of the virus, and those most vulnerable; please familiarize yourselves with these, and if you have any concerns over yourself or a member of your team, bearing in mind that this virus comes on suddenly, where a person can be fine in the morning and be showing the symptoms within a few hours, then I would ask that you contact HR and a decision can be made on what action should be taken. Should HR be unavailable please speak to your line manager.

Please also remember that YOU are responsible for reducing the spread or contraction of the Swine Flu virus or any other virus by doing the following:
• Regularly wipe your desk, keyboard mouse and phone with cleaning wipes, if you are in an office, wipe the meeting table, door handles etc. (this is because the cleaners only do this once a week)
• Regularly wash your hands throughout the day
• Use the anti-bacterial hand gel regularly throughout the day
• Abide by the 'Catch it, Bin it, Kill it' rule
• Don't come to work if you think you may have contracted the virus.
As an extra precaution we have placed some anti-bacterial hand gel on reception please use this as you enter and exit the building.

The symptoms of swine flu are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu, but may be more severe and cause more serious complications.

The typical symptoms are:
• sudden fever, and
• Sudden cough.
Other symptoms may include:
• headache,
• tiredness,
• chills,
• aching muscles,
• limb or joint pain,
• diarrhea or stomach upset,
• sore throat,
• runny nose,
• sneezing, and
• Loss of appetite.
Most people who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even without being given antiviral medication.

However, experts point out that as this is a new virus; its behaviour cannot be predicted with certainty.

Swine flu is different from seasonal flu in that most serious illnesses have been in younger age groups, as happened in all three 20th-century influenza pandemics.

A doctor faced with a symptomatic patient cannot yet predict with certainty the course of their illness and whether or not they will be in the small proportion who may become more seriously ill.

This is why antiviral medication is still being given to all those with swine flu in the UK, subject to their doctor’s discretion.

High-risk groups

Some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antiviral medication as soon as they are confirmed with the virus.
Scientists are still learning more about the risk profile of the virus, but it is already known that the following people are particularly susceptible:
• people with:
- chronic lung disease,
- chronic heart disease,
- chronic kidney disease,
- chronic liver disease,
- chronic neurological disease,
- immunosuppression (whether caused by
disease or treatment) and
- diabetes mellitus,
• patients who have had drug treatment for
asthma within the past three years,
• pregnant women,
• people aged 65 years and older, and
• young children under five years old.
It is vital that people in these higher-risk groups who catch swine flu get antivirals and start taking them as soon as possible.

---------- Post added at 20:55 ---------- Previous post was at 20:50 ----------

Apparantly someone at my daughter's pre-school (4yold) has the virus, aswell as the kids mother... don't know whether I should keep my one off.


Reading the symptoms of SwineFlu... I have all them tired, aching muscles, the *****, constant headache! though it's probably down to me starting a new job and I'm ded unfit!... ...the ***** is down to eating bad sugar based crap just to keep going lol!!!

That's all great... with my 'Bradford Index' if I get teh Swine Floo I will be sacked... for absenteeism... even if I follow 'government guidelines'.

I will miss the money, not the stress though.

Ah well, death will be the quiet option....

[Derek]

Who says Swine flu is all bad news?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...swine-flu.html

Cherie Blair has become Britain's most high-profile victim of swine flu.

[monkey2468]

Just being told by school that my daughters nursery has an outbreak. They are not closing the school or class, but they said we are welcome to keep our kids away.

[roadwolf]

As a result of the increasing numbers of people visiting their GP with flu symptoms and because of the need to be able to give antivirals to increasing numbers of people quickly, the decision has been taken by Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham to activate the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) from the end of next week.



This means that from the end of next week, people in England will be able to access swine flu advice and treatment through this new service, rather than by visiting their GP. People diagnosed with swine flu will be given an authorisation code that a ‘flu friend’ – a friend or relative who does not have swine flu – can use to pick up antivirals from a local Antiviral Collection Point (ACP). It remains the case that those people identified as being at greater risk of serious complications, including all children under one year old, will be advised to contact their GP.

Extract of an email I recieved today.

[superbiatch]

I know that in the area I work in we are setting up anti-viral clinics for those already diagnosed. One of my staff has volunteered herself to be a meeter/greeter and to signpost these people to treatment. I'm not particularly happy about it given that this member of staff has asthma and angina (for which she is undergoing tests for to find out the severity).

I have to admit I was rather cynical about swine flu but now I'm of the frame of mind its probably best to get it now as its coming in waves and the more who get it, the more severe it will be. The way I see it, get it now and build up immunity if you are fit and healthy - but i must stress this is my opinion and not that of the NHS

[webcrawler2050]

I know about 20 people, who have it in the Swindon area - including friends little ones - pills are given, they get over it! Done!

Originally Posted by superbiatch

I know that in the area I work in we are setting up anti-viral clinics for those already diagnosed. One of my staff has volunteered herself to be a meeter/greeter and to signpost these people to treatment. I'm not particularly happy about it given that this member of staff has asthma and angina (for which she is undergoing tests for to find out the severity).

I have to admit I was rather cynical about swine flu but now I'm of the frame of mind its probably best to get it now as its coming in waves and the more who get it, the more severe it will be. The way I see it, get it now and build up immunity if you are fit and healthy - but i must stress this is my opinion and not that of the NHS

This Flu is already acting differently than expected with its spread increasing into the better weather where they thought it would have peaked and who knows how long it willbe or if the virus will mutate in such a way as to render antivirals useless. I do tend to agree it may well be better to catch it now

[joglynne]

My husband has asthma and I have an immune system that tries it's best to polish me off if it gets triggered by any viral infection.

We are not looking forward to the next few months.

[superbiatch]

Originally Posted by joglynne

My husband has asthma and I have an immune system that tries it's best to polish me off if it gets triggered by any viral infection.

We are not looking forward to the next few months.

Hopefully you'll be top priority for the vaccine Jo, but its not expected to be ready until October now

[Russ]

Took my daughter to an indoor adventure world for kids this morning and I couldn't get over how some parents were totally oblivious to their kids coughing and spluttering without covering their mouths. It might not give perfect protection against germs and viruses but it's something however these parents just didn't seem to care. Annoyed the hell out of me.

[Russ]

ok guys I'm going to be working in the swine flu callcentre from thursday, any information I get about it I'm authorised to pass on so I'll keep you all treated.