Information - Swine Flu

The UN's World Health Organization has raised the alert over Swine Flu to Level 5 (since this item was published the WHO raised the alert to level 6 on 11 June 09) following the outbreak in Mexico.  See UK alert level at end of this page.

There is no  reason for undue concern at this stage and the UK government is tracking confirmed cases of influenza A H1N1 (also known as swine flu) in the UK.

Canterbury College has a pandemic flu plan and will be monitoring the situation closely over the coming weeks. It is currently taking advice from the Health Protection Agency and will keep this information under review. At the current time, we are taking responsible measures to communicate the government information to staff and students. This advice can be summarised as follows:

Prevention

To reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus you should:

• cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue

• throw the tissue away quickly and carefully

• wash your hands regularly with soap and water

• clean hard surfaces (like  door handles and remote controls) frequently with a normal cleaning product

Preparation

You can prepare now for a possible pandemic:

• always carry tissues - catching the germs in a tissue could help limit the spread of the virus
• know your NHS number (this will be in NHS letters or prescriptions)
• keep up to date with the latest help and advice available through radio, TV and the internet – follow the links below for more advice on Directgov
• confirm your ‘flu friends’ - these are friends and neighbours who can help you if you become ill; they could get your medication or food for you so that you don’t have to leave the house - this will help stop the virus from spreading
• have a two-week stock of food and other supplies in case you and your family are ill

Flu-like symptoms? (particularly if you have recently returned from a country where there has been an outbreak of Swine Flu):

• Stay at home and avoid contact with others.
• Call your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or visit the NHS website for advice.
• Do not attend a GP surgery as if you are infected it may cause the spread of the disease.
• Take normal hygiene precautions such as: covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing; using a tissue when possible; disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully; washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.

The UK government has organised a leaflet about swine flu to be sent to every household in the country. It explains how to prevent transmission of the disease and access vital services if a pandemic does occur. You can get it here right now.

Staff and students who are thinking of travelling abroad should consult the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) web site for the latest advice.  As a further precaution, we are advising staff who have recently returned from an area where there has been an outbreak of Swine Flu to remain at home for 48 hours after their return. The FCO is currently advising against all but essential travel to Mexico.

Find out the latest number of confirmed cases on the Directgov website

The latest news about swine flu across the UK

UK alert level currently stands at 3 (as at 12 June 09)

1 – virus/cases outside of uk
2 – virus isolated in uk
3 – outbreak(s) in uk
4 - widespread activity across uk