Second Wave of Swine flu Under Way


The second wave of the flu pandemic is under way with the HPA reporting that rates of flu-like illness and related activity have shown further increases in England, with 27,000 cases this week, up from 18,000 in the previous week. Current figures suggest that so far the virus is spreading more slowly than could have been the case. This is good news and gives added importance to get the vaccine to as many people as possible, as soon as possible. Although the slower spread can be welcomed, the number of people in intensive care as a result of complications from H1N1 is still relatively high and emphasises the public health importance of the vaccine.

With the start of the vaccination programme imminent, it is worth taking a moment to be sure that the that the NHS is at as higher state of readiness as possible as we enter the winter months, and delivering an effective vaccination programme will go a long way to ensuring this.

ICS are working with a number of trusts across the UK to assist them with their immunisation programmes, helping them with nurses to carry out immunisations, provide triage nurses for telephone assessments & advice, distribute Tamiflu/Relenza to ‘Flu Buddies’, aid Practice Nurses and assist school medical centres. All staff are UK based and fully appraised of the DOH ‘Swine Flu’ guidelines. Additionally we screen all nurses for ‘Swine Flu’ prior to every placement and have been doing so since early this year.