Has the World Gone Mad Over Swine Flu?

After so many the recent health scares, swine flu is certainly being taken more seriously than the others. The trouble is that no one really knows what to do about it, as there is so much mis-information and confusion surrounding the subject. My personal experience of this is as follows...

My partner is in what has been described as a "high risk group" as he has a condition called C.O.P.D. (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Therefore, when he felt ill last week with flu-like symptoms, he looked into the NHS website and filled in their questionnaire. At the end of this, he was told that he needed "Tamiflu" and given a reference number, and that someone without sysmptoms should get this for him. As this was first thing in the morning, I called my work to explain I would be late, as I had to collect this. A very worried voice at the end of the phone asked "are you coming into work? I thought you would both need to be quarrantined?" There was certainly no information about this on the website, or anywhere we could find! However, I could see the sense of it, if it really was so contagious! There really should be some clarification on this.

After a few days, I too started to feel unwell. I stayed home (as instructed by the media), although there was no fit person to collect any drugs for me! By the time my partner was fit and back at work, I checked the website, and again got the answer to take "Tamiflu". My symptoms, although less severe than my partner's, had by now lingered long enough for me to be required to obtain a sick note from my doctor. I called them, and was told that I should come in, but go into the surgery through the back door. When I got there, I was quickly ushered into a small examination room and told to wait. So I waited...and waited...

After an hour and a half (when I thought I'd been forgotten), a doctor finally appeared. I was then taken to another room (with a working computer, but apparently no medical supplies!) and I told her my story. She asked me why I'd been advised to take Tamiflu? How should I know? I'd just followed the questionnaire! She told me that these helplines and websites aren't run by people with any medical knowledge or experience, and also they're not supposed to be offering this anymore unless there is an underlying medical condition. She seemed to blame me for this! I didn't cheat - honestly!

She took my temperature, and found it to be normal. I could have told her that! Mind you, I had been sitting in front of a fan for the past hour and a half. It was the first time my temperature had felt normal in days!

Finally she signed me off work for a week with "flu-like symptoms" as she had no way of telling whether it was swine flu, normal flu or any other virus! If the doctor can't tell, who can?