Stay away from hospitals and GPs, Wirral swine flu victims warned

Jul 8 2009 By Andrew Brown

PEOPLE from Wirral with swine flu are being urged NOT to visit their GP or local hospital – to avoid spreading the disease.

Residents are also being urged today to find themselves a ‘swine flu friend’, who would collect anti-viral prescriptions for them.

Health chiefs revealed that more than 1,000 Merseysiders a day could catch swine flu at its peak.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) and all the region’s primary care trusts are working to minimise the impact after the government announced the disease can no longer be contained.

Dr Richard Jarvis, consultant at the HPA, said: “The number of cases in Merseyside has been relatively low but efforts to prepare for an anticipated increase have been ongoing. We estimate there will be around 1,000 cases a day in this area, but the vast majority will not be seriously ill – they will feel unwell for a few days.”

Designated antiviral collection sites will now be set up in pharmacies or at community centres.

Director of Public Health for NHS Sefton, Janet Atherton, said: “We would like to reassure residents that we are well prepared across Sefton and have a good stock of anti-virals.

“In the vast majority of cases, swine flu responds well to treatment. We would ask anybody who thinks they have swine flu to call their GP who can make an assessment over the phone and arrange for antivirals if required.