http://http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/uk-swine-flu-news.php/ News on human swine flu from around the UK http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=26897Newport swine flu mum celebrates baby's first yearSouth Wales ArgusEllie Reid, 27, and her son, Evan James, who turns one today, are looking forward to finally having their first Christmas together after Mrs Reid contracted swine flu last December and her son was delivered by emergency Caesarean section eight weeks ... http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=26897Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:59:55 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=26818Scotland CourierDundee University research supports safety of swine flu vaccineScotland CourierDundee University researchers have provided more evidence that the vaccine used during the swine flu pandemic was safe. Protesters marching to the Scottish Parliament in an anti-swine flu vaccination protest along the Royal Mile in 2009. ...An Apple Mac a day. . . doctors keep tabs on side-effects by e-mailScotsmanall 2 news articles » http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=26818Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:34:38 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=26349Scotland CourierSheriff questions inquiry into swine flu victim Bill Anderson's deathScotland CourierA sheriff has questioned why taxpayers' money was spent on a fatal accident inquiry into a Fife swine flu death. By Aileen Robertson The inquiry into the death of 53-year-old Kirkcaldy man Bill Anderson, who was Scotland's first otherwise healthy swine ... http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=26349Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:04:05 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25687 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25687Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:26:16 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25605Swine flu has spread more rapidly in Britain than in the rest of Europe, the World Health Organization has revealed, as the Government faces growing criticism over the country's preparations for an epidemic. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25605Sat, 01 Jan 2011 19:13:10 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25365 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25365Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:12:52 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25297BRITAIN'S swine flu hotline, launched seven months ago amid fears of a global pandemic of the virus, was switched off today after a steady fall in the number of cases reported. Britain closes swine flu hotline http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=25297Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:22:38 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20678 Deaths from the swine flu pandemic in England rose to their highest peak yet last week, new figures have shown. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20678Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:03:27 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20684 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20684Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:43:17 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20663Sixth patient tests positive for Tamiflu-resistant strain of swine flu in CardiffThe number of people catching swine flu in England is falling, figures out today show.There were an estimated 46,000 new cases in the last week, down from 53,000 in the week before. The number of people in hospital has also dropped, from 783 to 753. Of those, 154 are in intensive care.The number of deaths linked to the virus rose to 163 from 142.Experts confirmed today that a sixth person has tested positive for Tamiflu-resistant swine flu at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Five patients were diagnosed in the same hospital last week, in what could be the world's first cases of person-to-person transmission of the strain.The National Public Health Service for Wales said the new patient was linked to the five people found to be resistant to Tamiflu last week and was tested as part of routine screening arrangements."Test results are still awaited on one other direct contact of the six patients with swine flu resistant to Tamiflu," it said. "All other patients on the unit have now tested negative for the virus."Three of the patients remain in hospital, with one in critical care.All patients diagnosed with Tamiflu-resistant swine flu have been treated with an alternative antiviral.Swine fluHealthNHSguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20663Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:57:01 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20614The WHO is looking into reports that patients with "severely suppressed immune systems" in Britain and the U.S. developed resistance Tamiflu, which is used to treat the symptoms of H1N1 (swine flu), a spokesman for the organization said Tuesday, Reuters reports. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20614Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:18:11 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20161 A strain of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu has spread between hospital patients. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=20161Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:20:18 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=19973 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=19973Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:27:50 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=19899Warning from academics comes as Department of Health figures show sharp fall in number of new cases in youngstersSwine flu vaccines to be given to healthy childrenThe UK could run out of intensive care beds for children if there is a big surge in swine flu admissions in winter, according to medical researchers.The stark warning from Cambridge academics comes as the Department of Health today reveals its latest weekly review of critical care provision in the NHS for swine flu cases. Figures provided by the chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, show a reduction in the percentage of children with swine flu occupying paediatric intensive care beds in England.The pattern of H1N1 pandemic infections is proving unpredictable. Death rates are far lower than initially expected, with most victims young rather than old. The vaccination programme is already beginning to protect many of the most vulnerable.A sharp fall in the number of new cases last week may represent a temporary easing of the disease attributable to the school half-term break or the warm weather.The Cambridge research, published in the medical journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, warns that "paediatric critical care provision may prove to be inadequate". It says routine operations may have to be cancelled and adult intensive care beds given over to children.The researchers, led by Dr Ari Ercole and Dr D O'Donnell at Addenbrooke's hospital, studied a model developed by the US Centres for Disease Control to predict likely demand for critical care. Their work is based on the UK's current level of provision: 303 intensive care beds for children spread over 25 regional centres.The research assumes that children suffering from swine flu admitted to intensive care will stay for a minimum of five days and that the pandemic peak will last 12 weeks. It estimates that 3.8% of the UK's population of under-15s admitted to hospital for swine flu will require critical care. Their calculations show that if the admission rate is 1%, around half of the UK's critical care capacity will be needed. If this rate reaches 2%, almost all the current capacity will be needed.Critical care capacity for children varies by region, with some areas, such as Wales, the south-east coast and the east of England, likely to struggle with increased demand, the study suggests, even at a 1% admission rate. Pressure is likely to build up in regional specialist centres."Respiratory illness is the second largest cause of Picu [paediatric intensive care unit] admission, accounting for approximately a quarter of all cases," the study says. "The 2009 influenza outbreak appears to still be in its early stages and the relatively small numbers of confirmed cases – with a lag between presentation and more severe illness – mean that there is uncertainty regarding its true pathogenic potential."Analysis of the ages of flu fatalities carried out by the department show that in a normal seasonal flu year 94% of deaths are among those aged 65 and over. In this swine flu outbreak, 21% of deaths are among those aged 14 and under, while 39% are among 15- to 44-year-olds.That pattern is thought to reflect the greater cumulative immunity among older people built up by their exposure to similar flu viruses.The department said yesterday: "Latest evidence indicates that the pandemic is unlikely to reach the potential worst-case scenarios issued last month. However, we must not underestimate the threat that swine flu still poses. Children are particularly at risk and are more likely to require intensive care treatment if they suffer complications. A central part of meticulous NHS planning has been paediatric critical care. As a result, critical care capacity for children can be substantially increased when needed."Swine flu doesn't always affect every region in the same way at the same time, so different regions are geared up to support each other and use one another's facilities where necessary."Extra resources have been channelled into increasing the number of critical care beds, particularly the few equipped with Ecmo (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) technology that oxygenates the blood of patients outside of their body.The vaccination programme should continue to reduce numbers.Professor Robert Dingwall, former director of the institute for science and society at the University of Nottingham, said: NHS has planned for some expansion and should also be able to find extra capacity by moving older children into adult beds and postponing elective surgery."Swine fluHealthOwen Bowcottguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=19899Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:05:10 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=19303 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=19303Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:21:38 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=18063A new wave of swine flu appears to have hit Scotland after the number of people admitted to hospital with the virus increased by more than 60 per cent. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=18063Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:31:36 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=17374 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=17374Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:17:46 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=16674Pregnant women urged to take new H1N1 vaccine when it is available as flu death toll risesA pregnant teenager from southern Scotland has been killed by swine flu, leading to the death of her unborn child, the latest in a number of deaths around the UK.It is understood the 17-year-old died in a hospital in the Borders yesterday but health officials have not released further details at her family's request.Four deaths were reported in 48 hours this week in Scotland, taking the total number of deaths there from H1N1 to 15.Health officials in Wales said today that a pregnant woman, 21, from Monmouthshire, died yesterday after being transferred to intensive care following a planned caesarean section. Three deaths have been reported in Wales in the last 24 hours.While this virus is far milder than first feared, pregnant women are at greater risk of flu complications, alongside the elderly and those with underlying health problems.In July Sharon Pentleton, then six months pregnant, was flown from Ayrshire for specialised treatment in Sweden after becoming critically ill with the virus. Yesterday she gave birth to a son at Crosshouse hospital in Kilmarnock.Speaking of the death of the pregnant teenager, Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish health secretary, said it was deeply saddening and her thoughts were with her family and friends."Medical experts have been telling us that pregnant women are more vulnerable to developing complications after contracting the virus."Sturgeon urged pregnant women to take the new H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available to priority groups later this month to ensure they had "maximum protection" for themselves and their babies.There have been 76 deaths reported in England, with 260 people in hospital last week. Four people have died in Wales and three in Northern Ireland.Swine fluFluHealth & wellbeingScotlandWalesHealthSeverin Carrellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=16674Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:16:30 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=16357• Health department urges frontline staff to get jab• Inoculation vital in efforts to contain pandemic The Department of Health has ordered NHS bosses across England to ensure that frontline staff get immunised against swine flu amid growing signs that many doctors and nurses intend to shun the vaccine.Chief executives and boards who run hospitals, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities have been told to urgently maximise the number of workers having the jab. Leading DH figures including Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, have written to them six times in the last five weeks stressing the need for action before the second wave of the pandemic causes major problems.Ian Dalton, the NHS's national director of flu resilience, last week warned that vaccination of nurses, doctors and other frontline staff was "absolutely critical" and that widespread take-up of the jabs "will help us to save lives".The DH's letters stress that patients' health could be put at risk and the NHS left seriously short-staffed through virus-related absenteeism if senior managers do not overcome "perceived obstacles" to the vaccination of workers. Swine flu's threat is so great that the NHS must avoid only small numbers of personnel getting immunised, as usually happens with seasonal flu every winter, the letters add.They stress that vulnerable patients could be endangered if staff decide not to heed repeated urgings from Donaldson and other senior figures to have the vaccine. There are growing signs that large numbers of workers will shun the jabs because they see them as unnecessary and potentially unsafe.Dalton wrote to the chief executives of local NHS organisations in England on 10 September telling them: "We all know that uptake of the seasonal flu vaccine among NHS staff is traditionally low. It is an NHS board responsibility that we do not find ourselves in this position with the swine flu vaccine."But hospital chief executives have told the Guardian that they expect as few as 10%-20% of their staff to get vaccinated and cannot fulfil the DH's demands because the jabs, which are due to begin within days, are entirely voluntary.One chief executive of a busy urban hospital in one of the swine flu "hotspots" said: "At the moment in my hospital if nothing changes then it could be that 10%-20% of staff have the swine flu jab … Staff could have the virus and pass it on to patients, a proportion of whom will die, albeit a very small proportion."He added: "The other consequence is that if loads of staff go off with swine flu that will leave us short-staffed, which is dangerous to patients. That's a bigger danger than transmission."Another hospital chief executive said: "Ideally it should be 100% of frontline staff having the swine flu vaccine. But it obviously isn't going to be. I hope we'll get at least the 50% we usually get for seasonal flu. This is important because although this strain of swine flu is mild in most people, if it's contracted by someone with an underlying health condition that can be serious."One medical director at another hospital added: "The word on the street in NHS staff circles is that the vaccine is no good and you shouldn't bother with it. Nurses in particular worry that there may be side-effects, that corners have been cut in producing the vaccine and that the generally mild nature of the virus means they don't need to take it. As few as 10%-15% of doctors may have it because we doctors believe ourselves to be above such trivial things as infections."A poll by Nursing Times magazine last week showed that the proportion of nurses who do not intend to get vaccinated has risen from 31% in August to 47%, while those who definitely will has fallen from 35% to 23%.Dame Christine Beasley, the chief nursing officer for England, responded by stressing that the vaccine is "as safe as a vaccine can be" and adding: "Nothing in life is risk-free. I can well understand people being worried. I can well understand people thinking it's only a mild illness and why should I bother? I do understand all that, I think you wouldn't be human if you didn't think that." Beasley wants directors of nursing to act as role models to allay concerns among frontline nurses.Hospital chief executives say privately that Donaldson's repeated reminders of the mild nature of swine flu's effects in those who contract it, and recent claim that the UK is "tantalisingly close" to beating the virus, may be leading staff to believe that vaccination is not important.The health department said: "Frontline healthcare workers will be absolutely crucial in the height of a pandemic – without them, patient care will suffer, and the NHS will be stretched. Getting the swine flu vaccine will protect them and their patients."It added: "All NHS organisations will be working hard to ensure that all eligible staff have the choice to protect themselves and their patients from swine flu by having the vaccine."Swine fluFluFlu pandemicNHSHealthDoctorsNursingDenis Campbellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=16357Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:39:52 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=16088Cases rising much slower than expected in second wave of swine flu the Chief Medical Officer has said. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=16088Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:00:31 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=15077Researchers in Oxford have started the first trial of Britain's two swine flu vaccines. Working with teams in Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and London, they are aiming to recruit 1,000 youngsters aged six months to 12 years. I went to the Children's Hospital at the John Radcliffe in Oxford to witness what were the first recipients of the UK's H1N1 vaccines. Although both vaccines are likely to get licensed in the next few weeks, none of the trials has taken place in Britain. Pandemrix (made by GSK) was approved by the European Medicines Agency on Friday, while Baxter's H1N1 jab seems likely to get approved this week. This is the first time the vaccines have been used in the UK and the first comparative study of the jabs. Professor Andrew Pollard from the University of Oxford is heading the research: "We are doing this trial to compare head-to-head the two vaccines which are going to be used in the UK against swine flu to see which one works best in children and which one is best tolerated. We are sort of in a race against time because we know the flu season is already started. We hope to immunise the children over the next 10 days or so. There are very few exclusions - people with immune system problems and egg-allergic children because one of the vaccines is made using egg." The GSK vaccine is made using the traditional means of growing the virus in embryonated hens' eggs, before the virus is broken and deactivated. The Baxter vaccine is made in cell culture, so is suitable for those who have an egg allergy. Among the expected side-effects are sore arms and fevers. The information given to parents also lists rare side-effects including Guillian-Barré syndrome, which can cause ascending paralysis and even be fatal. It's worth quoting here from the trial information: "Other very rare events that have been seen with routine flu vaccines include seizures and temporary bleeding disorders. In the past Guillian-Barré syndrome (a rare disorder of nerves) has been associated with flu vaccines but the relationship remains uncertain, with some studies suggesting a possible link but others not finding it. One large study in the UK found that influenza-like illness itself was associated with an increased risk of the Guillian-Barré syndrome but there was no link with the seasonal influenza vaccines, suggesting that vaccination might actually protect against the disorder by preventing flu." What I take that to mean is that, if you have the vaccine, there is a remote, theoretical possibility that you could get GBS (as happened in the USA in 1976 with their swine flu vaccine), but you are more likely to get it as a result of contracting flu. So while it is impossible to rule out the risk of GBS from the vaccine, it is very remote, and this must be balanced against the very real and proven risks of complications from flu. I spoke to several of the parents and asked them why they had brought their children along. Considering it was the first day of the trial, it was not surprising to find several doctors who had heard about the trial. Dr Jocelyn Hughes is an Oxford paediatrician. She brought four-year-old Susanna and two-year-old Ben to be immunised. "I was keen to offer Susanna and Ben some protection against swine flu having seen some cases in A&E, and having the trial on our doorstep was a good way of doing that." Nicolette Wolf brought 17-month-old Reuben to be immunised. She is pregnant and will be one of the first to be offered a swine flu jab. I wondered whether she would take it, because, in researching the Panorama on swine flu, we met several pregnant women who seemed not keen on having the jab. Nicolette feels differently: "I will definitely take it to protect myself and obviously the baby. I know my immunity is low as a pregnant woman. I had a cold recently that really hit me and I was shocked to see how long it took to recover - so all the more reason to have the swine flu jab." Graunya Bean brought four-year-old Liam. "My youngest son Logan got swine flu three months ago and was really ill. He had an extreme high temperature and was refusing fluids. We had three days of being very concerned about him until he got Tamiflu. Liam has just started school and quite a few kids have come down with it there so we were concerned about him getting it, and obviously there's the benefit of them being able to do research to help others." This clinical trial comes just a month before a UK immunisation campaign begins. More than 11 million people in Britain considered to be most at-risk from flu, such as those with asthma or heart problems, will be offered the vaccine plus more than two million front-line health workers. In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content. var emp = new bbc.Emp(); emp.setWidth("512"); emp.setHeight("323"); emp.setDomId("walsh090928"); emp.setPlaylist("http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/emp/8270000/8279500/8279569.xml"); emp.write(); Above you can see a brief interview with Andrew Pollard and one of the families on the trial. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=15077Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:23:19 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14594The number of swine flu cases in England has jumped in the last week from an estimated 3000 to 5000 new figures show. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14594Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:42:50 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14416One dose of the swine flu vaccine is enough to protect against the virus raising the prospect that the UK may be left with millions of doses of extra jabs. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14416Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:59:53 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14256Britain is "tantalisingly close" to winning the fight against swine flu and is prepared to fight a second wave of the virus the country's top doctor has said. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14256Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:04:49 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14250Scotland's hospitals are bracing themselves for a winter surge of swine flu by more than doubling the number of beds available to treat sufferers. http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14250Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:20:42 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14261 http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14261Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:56:58 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14100The NHS may not have enough intensive care beds to cope if a second wave of swine flu hits the country, the Conservative party claims today. Hospitals are already at "breaking point" and having to close critical care beds to new admissions for large parts of the year, shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley says. The allegation comes amid intensifying party exchanges over the NHS. According to FOI requests returned to the Tories, almost 2,000 people in England had to be discharged early from intensive care last year while 20,000 were discharged belatedly because of shortages of other beds.NHSSwine fluFluHealth & wellbeingAndrew LansleyHealth policyConservativesOwen Bowcottguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=14100Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:05:01 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=13769Most companies in Britain have not been affected by the outbreak of swine flu, research has found, compounding fears that the virus could derail the country's fledgling economic recovery.But the survey of 450 companies by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) found that fewer than half of firms had contingency plans in place to cope if the swine flu outbreak gets worse, despite warnings of a second wave in the autumn.The report, the first of its kind, said 83.7% of businesses had not been affected by the spread of swine flu and only a third believed the disease could threaten the UK's recovery from recession.As a result, many have failed to draw up contingency plans for dealing with large numbers of workers taking time off if they contract the H1N1 virus.There had been fears that businesses, shops and distribution centres could be forced to shut if the virus spread rapidly. Airlines and other transport services could also be disrupted.The BCC's findings refute claims that workers are using the virus as an excuse to take sick days. Anecdotal evidence shows employers are more likely to tell staff to stay away if they have symptoms.The TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: "This shows that, contrary to what some have been claiming, workers are not using swine flu as an excuse to take time off work."He called on employers not to become complacent about the threat to their staff simply because infection levels had declined in recent weeks. The government's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, has repeatedly warned of a second wave of swine flu in the autumn.Barber said: "Employers should be using this time to work with their staff to ensure they have contingency plans in place to deal with any possible resurgence of the virus in the autumn."A BCC spokesman said: "We haven't seen any evidence of employees skiving en masse because of swine flu." But he said the government needed to exercise caution in its plans to allow employees infected with swine flu to stay off work for 14 days without a doctor's note, rather than seven days.GPs have been seeing a high number of patients at the start of the week and Donaldson said the National Pandemic Flu Service for England received most calls from patients on Mondays.But he shrugged off the idea that workers were faking sickness: "I think people traditionally hold on to their illnesses over the weekend, then see their GP on Monday."As schools reopen, health authorities are bracing themselves for another rise in swine flu. The UK and the US governments say they will not close schools except under exceptional circumstances after experts claimed closures did not reduce the number of cases, but spread them over a longer period.Swine fluFluHealth & wellbeingHealthRecessionTrade unionsJulia Kolleweguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=13769Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:37:06 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=13607Swine flu vaccine must sit in storage for over a month while manufacturers wait to see whether it will be given a licenceThe first batch of swine flu vaccine has arrived in the UK, but it must sit in storage for more than a month while the manufacturers wait to see whether it will be given a licence, the chief medical officer said today.The news of the delivery of around 200,000 packs of the vaccine came as it was announced that the UK death toll from swine flu has risen to 66 after 11 fatalities in the past week.The vaccine packs made by Baxter Healthcare – one of two drug companies with whom the government has signed contracts – have been delivered ahead of the drugs being approved, in contrast to the normal process for new drugs and treatments.The European Medicines Agency will now decide whether to licence this vaccine and one made by GlaxoSmithKline. Both manufacturers hope to have their licence by early October, which will mean the roll-out can begin later that month. The Department of Health will prioritise distribution to those most at risk from the flu, including those with conditions that make them vulnerable, such as diabetes and HIV, as well as health workers.When the vaccine is available, many people may be reluctant to be immunised because of fears it has not been tested properly, recent surveys of health care workers and the public suggest.A Canadian study published on Monday indicated that a successful vaccination campaign would need to win over people who believe that alternative therapies and a good diet are a better option than vaccines.Today the chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said the health professionals he had spoken to seemed to want the vaccine as soon as it became available. "It still remains the case that this disease is not a killer but it can kill," he said.While the vaccine sits in storage, the epidemic in the UK continues to abate.Donaldson, who repeated warnings of a second wave of swine flu in the autumn, said the number of cases was currently down to what would be normal levels of flu if this was winter – although clearly this was abnormal for summer.In the last week, the Health Protection Agency said there were an estimated 5,000 cases of swine flu - although the true figure could be anywhere between 3,000 and 12,000. There have been three swine flu deaths in England, seven in Scotland and one each in Wales and Northern Ireland over the last week. There were 218 people hospitalised with swine flu in the last week, which is a fall, but is high for the summer.The weekly consultation rates at GP surgeries have risen in 11 primary care trusts but decreased in 134, with no change in two. But even among those where the rates have risen – most markedly in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – the consultation rates were generally nowhere near as high as they were at the peak of the current outbreak. The highest rate of consultation in England was in Greenwich, London, at 45.2 swine flu consultations per 100,000. Tower Hamlets, which came second with 44.1 consultations per 100,000, hit 75 per 100,000 a few weeks ago.One thing that surprised him, Donaldson said, was the continuing high level of swine flu cases in the West Midlands.In contrast to most countries, only 22% of deaths in the UK have been among healthy people, said Donaldson. Figures from the World Health Organisation suggested 40% of those who had died were previously healthy. The proportion ending up in intensive care in the UK also appeared to be lower, he said.More than 460,000 packets of the antiviral Tamiflu have been given out via the government's National Pandemic Flu Service for England since it launched in July.Swine fluHealthHealth policySarah Boseleyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=13607Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:04:58 GMThttp://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=12938Pandemic showing summer decline but health officials prepare for second wave in autumnThe number of deaths from swine flu in Britain has climbed to 59 but infection rates have continued to fall through the summer, according to the Department of Health.The latest figures released today show the disease on the wane during the holidays with about 260 people still being treated in hospital, fewer than last week. Of those, 30 were in intensive care.There were an estimated 11,000 people diagnosed with H1N1 flu in England last week, the cases spread uniformly across the country, and representing a sharp decline from the 25,000 cases recorded during the previous week.After an unusual mid-summer spike in infections, pandemic flu could now be conforming to the normal pattern of seasonal flu which traditionally delivers peak rates of illness during the winter.Health officials expect a second wave of infections to start building up again in the autumn, though when that will occur, and whether it will be chiefly due to the return of schools or the arrival of colder weather, remains unknown.Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, confirmed that there were no national plans to keep schools closed at the start of term. But he added: "If we get a big surge during the autumn it may be that individual schools will close."One of the odder aspects of the latest data is that only 10% of those who sought help from a GP or the National Pandemic Flu helpline and subsequently took a swab test actually showed signs of infection.Health experts said they were not surprised by the low proportion. The estimate of 11,000 new cases takes into account both the observation that not all those seeking medical help were ill and also that many who become infected never contact a doctor.The government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) is assessing the latest fatality and infection rates – which are far lower than initially feared – to develop planning for the severity of the outbreak.Commenting on the need for a revision, Justin McCracken, chief executive of the Health Protection Agency, said: "It's always best to plan for the worst, not the best."The number of deaths did show a significant increase last week, rising from 44 to 54 in England. Almost half of those, 25, died in London. With five additional deaths in Scotland, the UK total now stands at 59 deaths.Donaldson said he could not speculate on the timing of the second wave of swine flu but hoped it would follow the pattern of the 1968-70 pandemic which hit around Christmas time – a progession that would provide the UK with sufficient time to vaccinate as many people as possible, and possibly avoid a second peak altogether.The chief medical officer said the full picture on how swine flu had affected the UK, including the number of excess deaths, would not be known until after the pandemic had passed.The UK had taken a much more aggressive policy initially towards tackling the disease than many other countries, he said, enforcing school closures, providing antiviral drugs for contacts of swine flu victims, and checking flight lists to track down further potential contacts.The development of the pandemic in Australia has been worrying health officials, with as many as 30% of those admitted to hospital being treated in intensive care.Although infection in the UK appears to be subsiding in the warmer summer weather, Donaldson said it was "exceptional" to have so many flu victims in hospital at this time of year.Of the 54 people who have died in England, 15% were under 15, a third were aged between 16 and 44, and 29% were over 65.Of the same group of fatalities, 21% were recorded as having previously been healthy. More than half had severe prior conditions such as leukaemia.Swine fluFluHealth & wellbeingOwen Bowcottguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds http://www.swine-flu-news.com/News/article.php?itemid=12938Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:27:40 GMT