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All of you will have heard and read much about this in the national press which we will not attempt to repeat here and of course the situation changes on a daily basis.
There are however some important messages to share with you in preparation for the predicted surge in cases to come later this year.
- For most people swine flu is a mild self limiting illness but occasionally and especially for those with serious pre-existing illnesses it can be more severe and very occasionally fatal.
- PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP AT THE SURGERY OR THE BRANCH SURGERIES IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE FLU – PLEASE RING FIRST FOR ADVICE. (see below)
- Prompt treatment with tamiflu can help those with flu – if you have a sustained temperature of above 38 centigrade with cough, sore throat, aches or gastric upset phone NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or our duty Dr on 01884 831300 or Devon Doctors when the surgery is shut on 0845 6710 270
- Please make sure you have a thermometer in the house, stocks of paracetamol, and a “flu friend” who can travel if needs to Tiverton hospital to collect a prescription for tamiflu which is our nearest flu centre..
- If you flu like symptoms we may ask you to come to the Same Day Service Suite at College Surgery where we have a separate entrance and examination facilities away from patients who do not have flu.
- Flu Vaccinations –no exact details are available yet but we may potentially have to vaccinate all of the 14,000 patients on our list this autumn and winter TWICE for swine flu and also for the elderly and those with other illnesses a single dose of seasonal flu vaccine as well.
PLEASE DO NOT RING AND ASK US ABOUT THIS YET–WE WILL CALL PEOPLE FOR VACCINATION UNDER A STRICT GOVERNMENT PRESCRIBED PRIORITY PROTOCOL WHEN WE HAVE VACCINE AVAILABLE (? September)
- If swine flu becomes much more widespread or the vaccine becomes available we may have to cancel routine clinics and appointments to deal with the demand –please be patient with us if that is the case.
- If your problem is not urgent please do not ring on a Monday morning –this is always our busiest time on the phones by far –afternoons are quieter!
- Catch It, Bin It ,Kill IT –please STAY at home if you have flu and use (and then dispose of safely) paper handkerchiefs if you are coughing or sneezing. WASH YOUR HANDS before eating and after wiping your nose.
- KEEP CALM and please help us to help you.
Our role is to try and keep the local workforce healthy and ensure essential services keep running but our staff are likely to be under sustained pressure preparing for and dealing with this flu epidemic |
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