Swine flu advice for parents and families
With the swine flu pandemic continuing to affect increasing numbers of people across much of the UK, we have pulled together helpful advice and links to further sources of information for parents and families on what to look for and what to do if you suspect that you or your kids may have swine flu.
As the swine flu pandemic runs it course, advice from the government and medical authorities is under continuous review. As a result, we will be updating this page on a regular basis to reflect the latest advice and recommendations.
Last update : Wednesday 22nd July 2009
Swine Flu - Background
- Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by a particular strain of influenza virus - type A virus H1N1
- The swine flu virus is different to the H5N1 bird flu virus which is not usually transmitted from human to human
- The H1N1 swine flu virus is similar to the strains which cause seasonal flu outbreaks but has genetic material that are commonly found in flu strains that affect humans, birds and swine (pigs, boar etc)
- The H1N1 swine flu virus may have originated in pigs (hence the common name), but it is now a wholly human disease
- Swine Flu is contagious (ie can be passed on from person to person) and can be transmitted through a number of means, including coughing, sneezing and contact with surfaces infected by another person with swine flu
- People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms, but they cease to be a risk once those symptoms have disappeared. The incubation period may be as little as two days
- Although swine flu has received a huge amount of attention in the press and there have unfortunately been a number of fatalities, it is vital to keep the risks in perspective. Swine flu is relatively mild and for the vast majority of people who catch it, they will likely recover within a week or two and not suffer any lasting effects.
- To date, there have been less than 30 deaths attributed to swine flu in the UK and in most of these, the patient had other underlying medical conditions. There are estimated to have been 700 swine-flu related fatalities globally. As a comparison, the seasonal winter flu typically causes around 6-8,000 deaths in the UK and up to 500,000 across the world. The last winter flu epidemic in the UK (during the 1999-2000 winter) is estimated to have resulted in 21,000 deaths
For further information on the symptoms of swine flu, how people catch it, how to reduce the likelihood of catching it as well as advice on what to do if you think you may have caught swine flu, please follow the links below.
Further useful information and advice on swine flu:
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
How do you catch swine flu?
What precautions can I take to avoid catching swine flu?
What to do if I think I have swine flu or if one of my family may have it?
Advice about Swine Flu for pregnant women
Advice about Swine Flu for businesses and employers (link coming shortly)
Useful sources of further information on swine flu
Swine flu Q&A from the BBC news website
Swine flu advice from the NHS