Swine flu – National Pandemic Flu Service is live

The National Pandemic Flu Service to support fast access to swine flu medication is now live.

The service is a new dedicated National Pandemic Flu Service website, or swine flu website.

There’s also a phoneline – 0800 1 513 100 or 0800 1 513 200 (Textphone).

Via the Pandemic Flu Service people can check their symptoms and get a unique reference number.

If swine flu antivirals are necessary this unique number will, with ID information, give a persons flu friend access to them at the nearest antiviral collection point.

Generally people who suspect they have swine flu should not go to their GP or A&E but should use the new National Pandemic Flu Service.

Anyone who has a serious underlying illness, is pregnant, has a child under 1 sick or if their condition suddenly worsens or doesn’t improve after 7 days if adult or 5 days if child, should contact their doctor directly.

There are implications for Travel insurance now that the Pandemic Flu Service is in place which we will cover in another article.