Gonna have to stop reading the news.

This whole swine flu thing is all over the news. I know that the papers make shocking claims, half of which aren't true but I can help feeling just a tad worried.

I myself have diabetes mellitus and my son is under five so we are both at high risk according to the experts. Now they are talking about the fact that if it worsens over the summer holidays some schools may not reopen in September.

I just wish we could trust the media and government, if we could we would all know whether indeed there is cause to be concerned.

I really don't like the idea of a mass immunisation plan either. These drugs currently being made can in no way be thoroughly tested as they are producing them within months. It might take years for after effects to be noticed.

I just find the whole thing a bit confusing. I get a little bit annoyed when the government openly state that all government officials have been given comprehensive guidelines on how to deal with the situation if they get sick yet joe public gets told to stay at home and not even go there doctor. I realise that a lot of cases are very mild, but how do you know how serious it is. The six year old who dies did so within 48 hours!

Common flu is deadlier, and you have a greater chance of catching it.
(Not like that helps.)
Just wash your hands, and avoid anyone who seems sick.

If you need to get medical treatment you'll know.

Monkeymadness' daughter's school got shut because of it and she was diagnosed with it (as was her mum and their new baby) and all of them are fine.

Her mum and the baby were knocked for 6 but as soon as they got the symptoms (and they'd been in contact with someone who definitely had it) they rang the NHS and were given tamiflu/baby equivalent.

At the moment it's considered to have a lower morbidity rate than season flu at 0.05% of everyone who requires treatment dying. That's not everyone who gets swine flu.

Personally I won't be having the immunisation nor will the baby.

So? Did you hear half the population will be immunised this year and half in early 2010. Well f*** me, can't see the flaw in that plan... And trust me, i know some sufferes of it, i think i'd take my chances with the vaccine. It will almost certainly be safe because its based on the exising vaccines for strains we have already encountered, and not much modification will be required.

Thats not exactly true. Yes common flu has up to date statistically more death but those deaths are by and large amongst the elderly and frail, that's the difference this type is hurting younger and healthier people.

It killed like two healthy people..

I think they're making a bigger deal out of it than it actually is. 1000s die every year from regular flu. Also, it has been reported that loads of peopls have had symptoms so mild, they've been told to go home, take some aspirin or whatever, and just rest!

That 6 year old who died was also misdiagnosed, so she didn't even get properly treated. That's why she died. If she'd gotten the Tamiflu drug earlier, she would most likely still be alive

Just make sure that, if you do feel ill, you get to a doctor straight away, and if you're not pleased with their diagnosis, push for a second one

It's been pushed through in months. Though based on an existing vaccine it's not imo necessary to vaccinate everyone. I've seen people suffering from swine flu, it can be particularly unpleasant, but at the same time you can get mild symptoms (a mild cough/runny nose) and that's your experience with swine flu. I personally wouldn't vaccinate myself or my children with something pushed through as quickly as it has been.

There's also the people who come in contact with it and don't get it. I was in contact with monkeymadness' daughter over the weekend (2 weekends ago). Monkeymadness came down with mild symptoms which probably was swine flu but wasn't severe enough to warrant tamiflu or medical attention and I didn't have so much as a splutter and because I'm heavily pregnant I'm one of the high risk people, so I'm more likely to suffer from a serious case/more likely to get it because my immune system is suppressed.

I work for the NHS so i can tell you exactly what we are being told.

We have a pandemic plan in place. We are preparing for the worst case scenario.

Vaccinations will go out to healthcare workers, government workers, lorry drivers, police, ambulance, fire and the army, navy and airforce before they are ever offered to the public. This is so that the country can continue to run.

It could go either way right now, but is looking that we will have a pandemic.

The difference between this flu and ordinary flu is that it will attack and kill healthy people. Usually flu kills people who are already suffering from a chronic disease.

If you have flu symptoms stay home. Use paracetamol and drink lots of fluids. If you have kids arrange someone to come over and look after them. Confine yourself to one room and make sure all your tissues are sealed in a bag. Sanitise handles and light switches after you use the bathroom. Call the doctor out if you become dehydrated.

It is best to try and remain healthy at the moment, eat well, drink plenty, dont run yourself down with stress or alcohol.

Hopefully it will not be as bad as we are planning for.

I'm not trying to turn this into thread where I preach that this Flu is going to end the world. I don't know more than anyone else. I was stating that I found the whole thing confusing. The common flu does not usualy kill off so many people even if they do have some of the underlying condition was my point. They are estimating up to 65,000 death in the Uk, that is compared to 8-9 thousand deaths from seasonal flu.

Again I'm not trying to present myself as an expert. Far from it. I can only go on what I read and hear, the point was what I hear and read is often conflicting and confusing

Seriously? You wouldnt vaccinate your kids? Them and old people are most at risk, you'd rather take the chance of letting them get swine flu? And i know, if theres a pandemic then the hospitals are gonna be way too overcrowded to be much use.

Always better to be over prepared!

I think at the moment the NHS guidelines are changing from trust to trust because I've been sent out letters etc saying we're on alert level 2 and that should the number of cases continue to rise/morbidity rates increase I will be removed from a clinical setting (due to being pregnant) but we've not really had anything said further than that, and I know that different trusts are up at different alert levels.

Im going to decline the vaccination. Even if they fire me.

acute guidelines are different, you are booked to be in hospital soon so they will be updating you on what the hospital's plan is.

Can I ask why treebee?