Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Swine Flu information
You may have read in the press that schools have today been advised to re-familiarise themselves with flu pandemic guidelines to prepare for the possible arrival of swine flu in the UK. I thought that you may wish to read the facts about the current situation and swine flu more generally.
Swine influenza is a respiratory disease normally found in pigs, but human cases can and do happen. The current human cases were first reported in Southern California and Texas. Cases of swine influenza have now been confirmed in several countries including Mexico, US, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom.
This strain of swine influenza contains a combination of genetic material typical to avian, swine and human flu viruses. Transmission of this new swine influenza virus is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu. Antiviral drugs are available which can effectively prevent and treat the infection, most reported cases of this infection outside of Mexico have recovered fully without the need for medical attention or antivirals.
In the meantime, we will be reminding all children and staff throughout the school to be aware of the following points which are preventative measures against the spread of all viral infection.
? Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the bin after you use it.
? Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
? Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
? If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
The school is paying close attention to information provided by the Health Protection Agency and the World Health Organisation. We will continue to monitor their advice and inform you of any further development. I have also included a fact sheet of questions and answers about swine flu provided by the Health Protection Agency for your information. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me on 0207 931 9469.


Swine influenza cases: Questions & Answers

What are the symptoms of swine influenza?

The symptoms of swine influenza in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza infection and include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing and sore throat. Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea.

If someone who has been to affected areas is feeling sick what should they do?

Anyone who has recently traveled to the affected areas and is experiencing influenza-like illness should stay at home to limit contact with others, and seek medical advice from a local health professional or by contacting NHS Direct.

Is treatment available?

Testing has shown that the human swine influenza H1N1 can be treated with the antivirals oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).
Most of the previously reported swine influenza cases recovered fully from the disease without requiring medical attention and without antiviral medicines.

Is this swine flu virus contagious?

It has been determined that this virus is contagious and it spreads between people, although it is not known how easily.

How common are cases of swine influenza?

Cases of swine influenza in humans usually occur after direct or close contact with infected pigs. The person-to-person transmission that is being investigated in Mexico has been previously reported but appears to be rare. Infection with swine influenza virus has been detected occasionally in humans since the 1950s.

What measures can I take to protect against infection?

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

Is this the next influenza pandemic?
It is too early to say whether the cases seen so far will lead to a larger outbreak or could represent the appearance of potential pandemic strain of influenza virus.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the decision maker in terms of declaring an influenza pandemic and elevating the global stages of pandemic alert. Experts from around the world are working in close collaboration with WHO to help determine what risk this situation poses to global public health.
What is the difference between seasonal influenza, avian influenza, swine influenza and an influenza pandemic?
Influenza viruses are commonly circulating in the human and animal environment. Different strains can cause illness in humans, bird and pigs.
Seasonal influenza is caused by influenza viruses that are adapted to spread in humans (human influenza). Humans have some natural immunity to the strains that are in common circulation, and this immunity can be bolstered by immunisation with a seasonal influenza vaccine.
Avian influenza is caused by influenza viruses adapted for infection in birds. Similarly, swine influenza is caused by influenza viruses adapted for infection in pigs.
These illnesses all elicit the same respiratory symptoms in their hosts. Sometimes, humans and animals can pass strains of influenza back and forth to one another, such as when humans become ill with avian or swine influenza, usually from direct contact with animals who are ill.
Mixing of human and animal influenza viruses can lead to the development of changed viruses with the ability to cause infection and spread in the human population. There may be little or no immunity in the human population to these new viruses.
An influenza pandemic is defined as a new or novel influenza virus that spreads easily between humans. When new influenza viruses are introduced into the environment, humans don't have any natural immunity to protect against them. Therefore, there is a risk that that new influenza viruses could develop into a pandemic if the virus passes easily from human to human.

People will not get swine flu from eating pork or pork products.

It is important to stress that swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. There is no risk of catching the illness from eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products.