Swine Flu

We've received this briefing on Swine Flu from the Chief Executive, Barry Quirk:

You will no doubt have seen recent media reports about the current concern over Swine Flu. The situation in Mexico and other parts of the world means the UK and London need to be especially vigilant. We, as a Council, are closely monitoring events and already have contingency arrangements in place should we need to act quickly.

The Council’s Pandemic Flu Working Group is meeting on a daily basis to assess the latest information and what, if any, action we need to take. At the moment, there is no cause for concern but I thought you might find it useful to see some general guidelines that have been issued by the NHS.

If you have recently visited one of the countries or areas where human cases of swine influenza have been identified, it is important for you to monitor your health closely for seven days after your visit to the affected area. There is no need for you to isolate yourself from other people as long as you remain well.

If during this period you develop a feverish illness accompanied by two or more of the following symptoms: cough, headache, runny nose, vomiting/diarrhoea, you should stay at home and contact your GP by phone or seek advice from NHS Direct (0845 4647).

You should make sure that you tell those from whom you are seeking advice about your recent travel to an area affected. Depending on your symptoms you may be advised that further investigations may be necessary.

General infection control practices and good respiratory hand hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the human swine influenza. This includes:

Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.
Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
Cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
Making sure your children follow this advice.
More information about Swine Flu be found on the NHS Lewisham website.

Barry Quirk
Chief Executive