Increasing Number of Swine Flu Cases Prompts Shift to Treatment Phase
In a recent announcement, the government has conceded that it is now impossible to control the swine flu virus any longer. This announcement came coupled with the proposal of the government to shift to the treatment phase for the flu from the current outbreak management phase.
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon clarified that this move does not mean that the flu has become more dangerous and there is no need to be alarmed, while admitting that the increase in cases of swine flu was expected. The step only reflects resorting to a different plan for tackling the problem as the number of cases have increased manifold and there is potential for community spread of the virus. The recognition of major and minor illnesses and importance of personal hygiene as part of the First Aid at Work Training can be of benefit to your organisation in ensuring your employees remain aware and healthy.
This new plan would in effect mean an end to the current procedure of finding contacts of persons who have contracted flu and providing anti-virals to contain the spread of virus. However, this does not put an end to the availability of anti-virals to persons suffering from flu, but that administration of these anti-virals would be at the discretion of health professionals. The new scheme would do away with the existing requirement for routine checkups and replace it with periodical surveillance on lines of the present flu reporting mechanism.
According to Andy Burnham, health secretary for
