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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Swine flu service was 'too late' | Swine flu service was 'too late' |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A Parliamentary committee is expected to criticise the government for being slow to set up a swine flu helpline. | A Parliamentary committee is expected to criticise the government for being slow to set up a swine flu helpline. |
| The service for England was launched on Thursday but a House of Lords report is to attack ministers for not following their own timetable for pandemics. | The service for England was launched on Thursday but a House of Lords report is to attack ministers for not following their own timetable for pandemics. |
| More than 5,500 people got anti-viral drugs on day one of the flu line, which the government said was "working well". | More than 5,500 people got anti-viral drugs on day one of the flu line, which the government said was "working well". |
| Meanwhile the health secretary has said undue anxiety about the mostly mild virus could put strain on the NHS. | Meanwhile the health secretary has said undue anxiety about the mostly mild virus could put strain on the NHS. |
| In a report due out on Tuesday, peers on the Science and Technology Committee are expected to say ministers failed to follow their own timetable for informing and advising the public in the event of a pandemic. | In a report due out on Tuesday, peers on the Science and Technology Committee are expected to say ministers failed to follow their own timetable for informing and advising the public in the event of a pandemic. |
| The committee had recommended in 2005 - when it was looking at a possible bird flu pandemic - that the government should ensure it had adequate and prompt systems for providing information to the public. | The committee had recommended in 2005 - when it was looking at a possible bird flu pandemic - that the government should ensure it had adequate and prompt systems for providing information to the public. |
| If people are made unnecessarily anxious, it makes the lives of NHS professionals, who are already under enormous pressure, far more difficult Health Secretary Andy Burnham Send us your comments | If people are made unnecessarily anxious, it makes the lives of NHS professionals, who are already under enormous pressure, far more difficult Health Secretary Andy Burnham Send us your comments |
| A Whitehall source told the BBC's political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti that peers would be critical that the National Flu Pandemic Service hotline was only launched last week. | |
| Health Secretary Andy Burnham told Sunday's Observer that the government had been planning its response to a pandemic for a long time, and that it was important for people should keep a sense of perspective about the illness. | Health Secretary Andy Burnham told Sunday's Observer that the government had been planning its response to a pandemic for a long time, and that it was important for people should keep a sense of perspective about the illness. |
| He told the newspaper: "It has been a mild virus in the vast majority of cases, with relatively mild symptoms from which people recover fully fairly quickly. | He told the newspaper: "It has been a mild virus in the vast majority of cases, with relatively mild symptoms from which people recover fully fairly quickly. |
| "If people are made unnecessarily anxious, it makes the lives of NHS professionals, who are already under enormous pressure, far more difficult as people become unduly worried." | "If people are made unnecessarily anxious, it makes the lives of NHS professionals, who are already under enormous pressure, far more difficult as people become unduly worried." |
| Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Conservative leader David Cameron welcomed the fact that the hotline was now up and running but warned that the number of critical care beds available was "very low compared to other countries". | |
| Self diagnosis | Self diagnosis |
| The National Flu Pandemic Service telephone hotline and website were launched so patients could obtain treatment without a GP's prescription. | The National Flu Pandemic Service telephone hotline and website were launched so patients could obtain treatment without a GP's prescription. |
| When it went online there were reports of it receiving 2,600 hits a second, or 9.3m an hour. | When it went online there were reports of it receiving 2,600 hits a second, or 9.3m an hour. |
| People who think they have swine flu can complete a questionnaire online or over the telephone. | People who think they have swine flu can complete a questionnaire online or over the telephone. |
| More than 58,000 assessments were completed on the first day, 89% of them online. | More than 58,000 assessments were completed on the first day, 89% of them online. |
| Among the symptoms listed are fever or temperature over 38C or 100.4F, coupled with two of the following: unusual tiredness, headache, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or cough, loss of appetite, aching muscles, diarrhoea or vomiting. | Among the symptoms listed are fever or temperature over 38C or 100.4F, coupled with two of the following: unusual tiredness, headache, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or cough, loss of appetite, aching muscles, diarrhoea or vomiting. |
| If patients are diagnosed with the virus, they are issued with a unique reference number which must be given when the drugs are collected. | If patients are diagnosed with the virus, they are issued with a unique reference number which must be given when the drugs are collected. |
| However, patients are still being advised to contact GPs if they have serious underlying illnesses, are pregnant, have sick children aged under one, their condition suddenly worsens or continues to worsen after seven days - five for a child. | However, patients are still being advised to contact GPs if they have serious underlying illnesses, are pregnant, have sick children aged under one, their condition suddenly worsens or continues to worsen after seven days - five for a child. |
| More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to have caught swine flu in the past week alone. Some 30 people have died after contracting the illness. | More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to have caught swine flu in the past week alone. Some 30 people have died after contracting the illness. |