Swine Flu
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What is swine flu and how serious is it?
A new strain of Influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, was
confirmed in the UK in April 2009 and has spread to nearly 200
countries around the world.
Although symptoms have generally proved mild, a small number of
patients will develop more serious illness. Many of these
people have other underlying health conditions, such as heart or
lung disease, that put them at increased risk.
Symptoms
Flu symptoms can include:
- fever
- cough
- headache
- weakness and fatigue
- aching muscles and joints
- sore throat
- runny nose
As with any sort of influenza, how bad and how long the symptoms
last will depend on treatment and the patient’s individual
circumstances.
Most cases reported in the UK have been relatively mild, with
those affected starting to recover within a week.
Who is at risk?
Some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if
they catch swine flu. It is vital that people in these higher risk
groups get anti-viral drugs and start taking them as soon as
possible – within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Health authorities are still learning about the swine flu virus,
but the following people are known to be at higher risk:
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 years and older
- young children under five years old
People suffering from the following illnesses are also at
increased risk:
- chronic lung disease
- chronic heart disease
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease
- chronic neurological disease
- Immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment)
- Diabetes mellitus
- patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past
three years
If you think you have swine flu
If you are in England and you think you have swine flu, check
your symptoms online by following the National Pandemic Flu Service
link below, or call 0800 1 513 100 (0800 1 513 200 for
textphone).
Contact your GP directly if:
- you have a serious underlying illness
- you are pregnant
- you have a sick child under one year old
- your condition suddenly gets much worse
- your condition is still getting worse after seven days (five
for a child)
Follow the links below for more information.
Advice for businesses
Follow the link below for information on how to prepare your
business for swine flu.
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