One million doses of swine flu drug ready for the North East

Apr 30 2009 by Paul James, The Journal

MORE than a million doses of anti-viral drugs are earmarked for the North East in case of a swine flu pandemic.

A 12-year-old girl from Paignton in Devon, a 41-year-old woman from Redditch and a 22-year-old man from London have now contracted the disease.

The Government is stepping up a large-scale public health campaign reminding everyone – not just those showing flu symptoms – to cover their noses and mouths with tissues and then throw the tissue away.

The World Health Organisation last night raised the pandemic alert level to phase five out of six.

Anti-viral drugs are stockpiled at four locations and can be rolled out across the country at very short notice if and when cases are confirmed.

Information is also being posted through doors, and Newcastle Airport is putting up posters and handing out leaflets containing Government health advice to travellers.

The airport insisted it remained business as usual, with no planes currently flying between the North East and Mexico, the centre of the outbreak.

But one Sunderland family is refusing to have their holiday ruined by the outbreak. Jacqueline Banks, from Fulwell, who is in Cancun with partner Paul Barnes, and their son Callum, five, said: “It us our big holiday and we only have one every two years.”

Announcing the increase in anti-viral doses yesterday, Health Secretary Alan Johnson ruled out handing out face masks to the public, but said NHS frontline staff would be provided with special surgical masks with filters. Mr Johnson said it was “inevitable” there would be more confirmed cases of the disease.