NHS Herefordshire has issued advice that the county has sufficient supplies of antiviral medicine. The primary care trust has also increased from six to nine the number of local pharmacies that will provide free of charge precriptions for local people diagnosed with flu-like illness by the National Pandemic Flu Service.
Numbers of people diagnosed have reduced in recent weeks but following press reports that people from Hertfordshire may have been misdirected by the national flu service to collect medicine from Herefordshire, the primary care trust stresses that people in Herefordshire do not have to travel far, usually to their nearest market town, to collect antivirals.
Flu friends - a friend or relative who does not have swine flu - can use a unique authorisation number, issued by the national flu line, to pick up antiviral medicine.
NHS Herefordshire reminds people that antiviral medicine is free on the NHS, and is offered to all who need them, so there is no reason to buy medicines from other sources or from internet sites, which could be selling counterfeit or substandard medicines. Internet sales are actively investigated and those who abuse the system for profit could get up to ten years in prison for attempting to obtain and sell medicines fraudulently.
The call centre - telephone 0800 1 513 100 - has significantly relieved much of the pressure felt by GP practices across the country, including those in Herefordshire. The primary care trust stresses that people can still speak to their GP if they are concerned, saying it is important that people with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, and parents with children under the age of one should speak to their GP if they have symptoms.
People should not go to the accident and emergency unit or their GP surgery if they suspect they have swine flu, unless they are advised to do so by a healthcare professional.
If people think they have swine flu they should stay at home, go online and check symptoms on www.nhs.uk or call the swine flu information line on 0800 1513513. If still concerned, people should then call the national flu service on 0800 1 513 100, or text phone 0800 1 513 200, which will make an assessment and may issue a unique antiviral authorisation number for the patient's flu friend to collect a course of antiviral medicine. There is also a new dedicated web site www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu for people to check their symptoms. Callers to the flu line will need to give details of symptoms and medical history and will need pen and paper to jot down instructions.
Some people find that they get better by staying in bed, drinking plenty of water and taking over the counter flu medication. The majority of cases continue to be mild, says NHS Herefordshire and there is no sign that the virus is changing. It is not becoming more severe or developing resistance to antiviral medicines. The primary care trust also repeats the basic hygiene rules to contain the spread of the virus; cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, dispose of the tissue immediately and then wash your hands thoroughly. In short - catch it, bin it, kill it.
Further information about swine flu
Information for the public can be found on the NHS Choices information and advice service: http://www.nhs.uk/ as well as the Department of Health website: www.dh.gov.uk and the Health Protection Agency website: http://www.hpa.org.uk/
For local information see the council website: http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/ and the primary care trust web site: http://www.herefordshire.nhs.uk/
Schools and other children's services are expected to be operating as usual after the summer break. There is guidance published on the Teachernet website: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/emergencies/planning/flupandemic/
Business Link carries information on business continuity and on protecting the workforce on: www.businesslink.gov.uk/swineflu
The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website also has further references: http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/further-education-skills/guidance/flu-guidance
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website gives advice if you are travelling overseas: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/swine-flu.
The Royal College of Midwives have released advice on swine flu and pregnancy: http://www.rcm.org.uk/college/media-centre/press-releases/rcog-rcm-statement-advice-on-swine-flu-and-pregnancy/