Blanket swine flu tests announced
Thursday 11th June 2009, 3:00PM BST.
Dr Rosemary Geller: 'We are erring on the side of caution.'
ISLANDERS who have flu-like symptoms will be tested for swine flu even if they have not travelled to an affected area or been in contact with a suspected case.
The news comes as the World Health Organisation organises an emergency meeting to discuss raising the alert level to six – which could mean an announcement of the first global pandemic in the last 40 years.
Yesterday Jersey doctors were told to test patients with flu-like symptoms for the Influenza A (H1N1) virus regardless of the fact that they might not have been to an affected area.
This was in response to the UK Health Protection Agency updating its recommendations for the surveillance and management of patients.
The Medical Officer of Health, Dr Rosemary Geller, said: ‘Although there are no confirmed cases of swine flu in Jersey, we are continuing to monitor the changing global situation and erring on the side of caution.’
• See Thursday’s JEP for full story.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
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When I first read the headline I thought they were going to test our blankets?
A prudent measure but there are so many people coming into the island that it would spread like wildfire anyway, still better than no measure taken.
Will they be testing duvets?
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is it free?
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Well, they certainly won’t be testing me for symptoms A (H1N1) virus should I develop flu symptoms and need to consult a doctor!
What a rediculous statement:
“Yesterday Jersey doctors were told to test patients with flu-like symptoms for the Influenza A (H1N1) virus regardless of the fact that they might not have been to an affected area”
Surely they left out the words “should they consent to a test”?
WHO have desperately been wanting a flu pandemic — is this their last ditch attempt in creating one?
They certainly won’t be experimenting with their un-tested (short and long term) unsafe and unnecessary anti-anything drugs on me or my family!
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the most obvious “non” news story of the year
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Ve vill ignore your rights !!!
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(3) Agree with you.
funny enough most elderly people i worked with took no medication at all other than the odd aspro and lived to a ripe old age.
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lots of people are talking about this subject.
a rumour was that globaly there is loads of tamiflu nearly going out of date.
that has cost big pharma companies and they need to off load it.
as yet the public of the world have not been told how it made the jump for humans to spread it.
if any one can put some light on this , please educate me to the facts.
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bet they add on an extra 20 quid charge to your already £30 docs bill for it. ummmm…..!!!
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Now the flu’s here we will soon see how effective all these drugs are. How this flu can be effective I don’t know, as I believe it will be the Autumn before any vaccines are ready specifically to target Swine flu?
Maybe someone with a scientific background could explain this?
Anyway we are in a pandemic now, expect to see panic if people start to die. If not carry on as normal.
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