About Bird Flu Protection and Prevention - Facts for the UK
What can you do to prevent getting the flu in the UK?
Every year, ask your doctor to vaccinate you against the flu. Because the Flu virus changes frequently, you need to get vaccinated every year to stay immune.
Some people can get this free. Vaccination is free for people age 65 years and over, and adults and children with certain long-term (chronic) conditions. Your Doctor will know if you are eligible for a free vaccination.
Influenza is very easily spread through coughs and sneezes. If you have the flu, avoid public places and close contact with other people. Always cough and sneeze into a disposable tissue. Put the tissue in a rubbish bin and wash your hands well afterwards.
What is being done to prepare for a Bird Flu pandemic?
Many countries have been planning for this for some time and many National Health Organisations have a national pandemic plan, and Local Health Authorities have local plans.
Following the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), an increasing number of countries are now beginning to stockpile anti-viral medicines to help reduce the impact of any future pandemic.
How can you prepare for a Bird Flu pandemic in the UK?
- Talk to your family and friends about health hygiene – hand washing, and safe coughing and sneezing.
- Make sure you have an emergency home survival kit ready with a range of the essential supplies necessary to support a restricted lifestyle including sufficient water to meet your needs.
- Prepare a medical kit and ensure you include a supply of paracetamol (for fever) in your home emergency kit. You should also include a supply of face masks to minimise the risk of virus transference. If possible attempt to purchase sufficient quantities of either Tamiflu or Relenza privately but only use specifically in accordance with manufacturers instructions and/or such instructions you have received from your own Doctor.
- Prepare a plan for what you and your family would do if you had to stay at home during a pandemic.
How can you protect yourself during a Bird Flu pandemic in the UK?
- Stay home if you are sick and keep away from other people – avoid visitors and visiting other people.
- Wash and dry your hands after you cough, sneeze, wipe or blow your nose (or your child’s nose), use the bathroom or toilet. Wash and dry your hands before you prepare food and eat, and when you are looking after sick people.
- Keep coughs and sneezes covered. Tissues are best. Put the tissue in a rubbish bin.
- Give people who have a fever and/or diarrhoea plenty to drink.
- Give paracetamol for fever. Do not give aspirin to children under 12.
- Try to keep well people and sick people apart.
- Sharing bedding, clothing and utensils may spread infection, but you do not need to wash a sick person's bedding, clothing and utensils separately from the rest of the family's.
What drugs and medication can be used to protect yourself against the Bird Flu in the UK?
While no vaccines against the H5N1 Bird Flu exist, the only option currently is the use of anti-viral medication drugs that have been shown to be effective in the treating of other strains of the Influenza A and B viruses.
Tamiflu is one of 2 medicines that are effective against the strains of Bird Flu circulating in birds in Asia. The other is Relenza. Both Tamiflu and Relenza appear to be effective in inhibiting growth and spread of the Bird Flu virus in the human body however they are not to confused with a vaccine that prevent becoming infected with the virus.
Tamiflu is used to treat some types of influenza (flu) in patients who have had symptoms of the flu for two days or less. Tamiflu is in a class of drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors. These drugs work by stopping the growth and spread of the Bird Flu virus in your body. Tamiflu helps shorten the time you have flu symptoms like nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, tiredness, headache, fever and chills.
If otherwise healthy people who are ill with influenza take it, they are less likely to develop complications of influenza. Those complications are usually treated with antibiotics.
Tamiflu can also be used to treat Flu in children aged one year and older.
Will face masks help protect me and my family from the Bird Flu virus?
A surgical mask, if put on someone who is sick, will help reduce the spread of infection, because it will hold the virus in the coughs and sneezes close to that person.
People who are not sick and who are very close to the person who is coughing and sneezing - closer than 1 metre - may get some protection by covering their own nose and mouth with a mask. Again, this is because the mask will catch the virus in the cough and sneeze droplets.
More UK Bird Flu Protection and Prevention news and links:
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Latest Bird Flu Protection News in the UK |
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More Bird Flu Preparation and Prevention information is available in the reports listed here on this site
Other information on Preventing the Flu is also detailed here
Further Information about Tamiflu
Further Information about Relenza
Further Information about Amantadine
Bird Flu Medications & Products:
Tamiflu is offered for purchase by:
Health Solutions Network
Drug Delivery.ca
Pharma-Supplies.com
Medical Management
Relenza is offered for purchase by:
Drug Delivery.ca
Amantadine an alternative Avian Flu medication is offered for purchase by:
Drug Delivery.ca
Vira 38 a possible Avian Flu medication is offered for purchase by:
PRB Pharmaceuticals
Facemasks can be purchased from:
Local stores in your area
Home Emergency Kit Products can be purchased from:
Local stores in your area
DISCLAIMER - Please note that none of the above companies, businesses or websites are in anyway involved, associated or affiliated with either the owners of this website or any of our sponsors and we are therefore not responsible for the contents of any website referenced from this website or server. Reference on this website to any specific commercial products, processes, service, manufacturer or company does not constitute its endorsement or reccomendation.
