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'Swine flu' illness closes school 'Swine flu' closes second school
(about 7 hours later)
A primary school in west Wales has closed for three days after a "high number" of pupils and half the staff were taken ill with flu-like symptoms. Two primary schools in Carmarthenshire have closed due to staff sickness and pupils suffering flu-like symptoms.
A number of cases at Pontyberem Primary School in Carmarthenshire were confirmed as being swine flu on Tuesday afternoon, the local council said. Pontyberem school closed for three days when a "high number" of pupils and half the staff were taken ill.
The head decided to close the 120-pupil school due to staff shortages. Cefneithin CP School will be closed until after half term with one pupil confirmed with swine flu.
The closure comes as the first swine flu vaccinations take place in Wales, with 750,000 seen as priority cases. The closures come as the first swine flu vaccination programme was launched in Wales, with 750,000 seen as priority cases.
Health workers and patients with chronic illnesses like lung and heart disease will be the first to receive the swine flu vaccine.Health workers and patients with chronic illnesses like lung and heart disease will be the first to receive the swine flu vaccine.
Pregnant women will also receive letters offering vaccination, an offer which will eventually be extended to everyone in Wales.Pregnant women will also receive letters offering vaccination, an offer which will eventually be extended to everyone in Wales.
Around 750,000 people in Wales have been identified as the most at risk of complications from the virus.Around 750,000 people in Wales have been identified as the most at risk of complications from the virus.
SWINE FLU VACCINE PRIORITY GROUPS Those aged over six months in seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groupsAll pregnant womenHousehold contacts of people with compromised immune systems, such as patients being treated for cancerFrontline health and social care workersSource: Welsh Assembly Government VACCINE PRIORITY GROUPS Those aged over six months in seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groupsAll pregnant womenHousehold contacts of people with compromised immune systems, such as patients being treated for cancerFrontline health and social care workersSource: Welsh Assembly Government
The number of people in Wales suffering from flu-like symptoms continues to rise with nearly 2,000 people contacting their doctors in the last seven days.The number of people in Wales suffering from flu-like symptoms continues to rise with nearly 2,000 people contacting their doctors in the last seven days.
Dr Sarah Hayes, senior medical officer at the Welsh Assembly Government said the vaccination programme was going to take several weeks to roll out.Dr Sarah Hayes, senior medical officer at the Welsh Assembly Government said the vaccination programme was going to take several weeks to roll out.
"This is not one big vaccination programme. It may take right up until December to complete."This is not one big vaccination programme. It may take right up until December to complete.
"The health services have been gearing up for this for several months."The health services have been gearing up for this for several months.
"For most people it will stop you from getting flu, not everybody, but it does reduce the number of people who need hospital admissions and deaths.""For most people it will stop you from getting flu, not everybody, but it does reduce the number of people who need hospital admissions and deaths."
Dr Haynes also highlighted that pregnant women were at greater risk from swine flu.Dr Haynes also highlighted that pregnant women were at greater risk from swine flu.
"There is a lot of information coming through that the vaccination is safe in pregnancy," she said."There is a lot of information coming through that the vaccination is safe in pregnancy," she said.
"We are confident this is the right thing to do.""We are confident this is the right thing to do."
'Off sick''Off sick'
It is hoped Pontyberem Primary School will reopen after the half-term break.It is hoped Pontyberem Primary School will reopen after the half-term break.
A notice appeared on the council website saying the school would be closed because of illness.A notice appeared on the council website saying the school would be closed because of illness.
A spokeswoman for Carmarthenshire council said: "[The school] is closed because of staff sickness.A spokeswoman for Carmarthenshire council said: "[The school] is closed because of staff sickness.
"A high number of pupils experienced flu-like illness last week. Some the cases have been confirmed today as swine flu."A high number of pupils experienced flu-like illness last week. Some the cases have been confirmed today as swine flu.
"A number of staff members have also been off sick."A number of staff members have also been off sick.
"The head called a meeting this afternoon (Tuesday) and decided to close the school until after half-term.""The head called a meeting this afternoon (Tuesday) and decided to close the school until after half-term."
Gill Taylor, headteacher of Cefneithin CP School, decided to close the school on Wednesday afternoon for the rest of the week "for operational reasons" due to high levels of staff sickness.
A number of pupils have been experiencing flu-like symptoms over the past week or so.
The school will reopen as usual on 3 November after the half term holiday.
The school has taken the appropriate medical advice and has informed all parents.
The county has had the lowest rate of flu-like illness for any in Wales in recent weeks.The county has had the lowest rate of flu-like illness for any in Wales in recent weeks.
SWINE FLU FACTFILE Levels of flu' continue to increase across Wales and are higher than usual for the time of yearLatest estimates say an equivalent of 1,941 people in Wales contacted their GPs in the last week with flu-like symptomsThe rate of diagnosis of flu-like illness ranges from 29.3 per 100,000 people in Carmarthenshire, to 111.4 per 100,000 people in CardiffLatest figures show there were 27 patients in hospital in connection with swine flu, of whom five were in critical careSource: National Public Health Service for Wales SWINE FLU FACTFILE Levels of flu' continue to increase across Wales and are higher than usual for the time of yearLatest estimates say an equivalent of 1,932 people in Wales contacted their GPs in the last week with flu-like symptomsThe rate of diagnosis of flu-like illness ranges from 29.4 per 100,000 people in Carmarthenshire, to 111.5 per 100,000 people in CardiffLatest figures show there were 27 patients in hospital in connection with swine flu, of whom five were in critical careSource: National Public Health Service for Wales
She added that approximately half the staff, about five members, were absent because of illness.She added that approximately half the staff, about five members, were absent because of illness.
A spokeswoman for the Welsh Assembly Government said she believed it was the first time a school in Wales had closed because of swine flu. The assembly government said they were believed to be the schools in Wales to close because of swine flu, with the decisions left to head teachers.
She added it was left to the discretion of the head teacher and the local authority on when to close the school in circumstances like these. After the launch of the vaccination programme, health minister Edwina Hart said the pattern was similar to winter flu.
Local councillor Joy Williams said news of the closure was just filtering out to the community. "Advice I have received suggests that the swine flu pandemic is behaving as expected and in the vast majority of cases, people recover well with rest, plenty of fluids and paracetamol within five to seven days," she said.
"I think there were three who were ill at the end of last week and it's obviously spread very quickly," she said. 'Two doses'
"I don't think they are very ill." "However, as the number of swine flu cases rise, the number of people experiencing severe symptoms or complications or even death is likely to increase."
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Jewell said two swine flu vaccines - GSK and Baxter - have been licensed for the vaccination programme.Chief medical officer Dr Tony Jewell said two swine flu vaccines - GSK and Baxter - have been licensed for the vaccination programme.
Those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women would be asked by their family doctors to be receive the jabs.Those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women would be asked by their family doctors to be receive the jabs.
"People don't need to call their GP to arrange for the vaccine straight away as their GPs will be making arrangements to contact them," he said."People don't need to call their GP to arrange for the vaccine straight away as their GPs will be making arrangements to contact them," he said.
"Most people who are given the GSK vaccine will only require one injection but children aged six months to nine years, and those who are severely immuno-compromised will require two doses, three weeks apart.""Most people who are given the GSK vaccine will only require one injection but children aged six months to nine years, and those who are severely immuno-compromised will require two doses, three weeks apart."
He said all those who have the Baxter vaccine would need two jabs, three weeks apart.He said all those who have the Baxter vaccine would need two jabs, three weeks apart.
Meanwhile, the assembly government is to buy 65 new hospital ventilators, costing £1.42m, for critical care units to help patients with respiratory problems, which can be made worse by swine flu.
A spokesman said vaccination has not yet started with at-risk hospital patients although this will begin "within the next few days."
Four swine-flu related deaths in Wales have been confirmed with the vast majority people with underlying health conditions or in a higher risk group.Four swine-flu related deaths in Wales have been confirmed with the vast majority people with underlying health conditions or in a higher risk group.