Camden Health: Swine Flu | Influenza | H1N1 | Health Protection Agency | Acland Burghley | Parliament Hill | School

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Camden New Journal - HEALTH
Published: 25 June 2009

Torriano Infants’ School, where pupils have fallen victim to swine flu

Fear and uncertainty as swine flu sweeps through schools

Doctors on guard against new strains but stress virus is currently ‘no worse than normal flu’

RAMPANT swine flu claimed dozens more young victims in Camden this week – at least eight schools have been affected and many more pupils are stuck at home awaiting visits from their local GP.
The Health Protection Agency described the H1N1 virus as “mild” and no worse than seasonal flu. But doctors have warned the sudden outbreak at schools – including Acland Burghley and Parliament Hill secondary schools – has made their lives “hell” and that supplies of masks and swabs used by GPs to test patients for swine flu have run dry.
Caversham Practice doctor Stephen Amiel, who represents Camden doctors as chairman of the Local Medical Committee, said: “This week has been a complete nightmare. The epidemic has reached a different stage. It has got to the level that people are saying they would rather get the flu now before it becomes more virulent. Supplies of swabs have dried up. We are being given advice on washing our masks for reuse. That is crazy. If they want us to use masks and swabs they should be providing them.”
He added: “Yesterday, we had 35 extra calls at our practice. We are employing doctors just to deal with enquiries about swine flu. It is hell out here.”
Parents at Beckford Primary School, which was closed last Tuesday for one week, are outraged that they have been forced to travel more than three miles to University College London Hospital to collect prescriptions of the antiviral Tamiflu.
Mila Tanya Griebel, whose son was confirmed to have swine flu on Tuesday, was swabbed by an of hours doctor who visited her at 3am on Thursday – but yesterday (Wednesday) she still hadn’t got her results back.
She said: “I am ill and I am looking after sick kids. I look after my grandfather, but I don’t know if I can see him or not. I wish I just knew what was happening. I just want to be told. At the moment this is going on in quite small schools – but what happens when two or three large comprehensives get hit at the same time. ”
Many Beckford Parents have criticised NHS Camden for storing all the Tamiflu stocks in University College London Hospital (UCLH), which is around three miles from Beckford Primary School.
David King’s grandson was in contact with the first confirmed case at Beckford Primary School, which reopened on Monday after being closed for one week by the HPA. There have been 23 confirmed cases at Beckford and at least 20 more are awaiting swab test results.
He said: “He had a cough and sore throat and had been feeling very nauseous since Monday, and when he had a temperature of 38 degrees on Tuesday he called NHS direct at 9pm. They took the situation seriously, as he had clearly been in personal contact with a swine flu victim. The emergency doctor also deemed the situation serious and told my son to isolate himself from the rest of the family.”
Doctors are advising families not to panic and to understand that the virus should be treated seriously but that it is no worse than the normal flu.
At Hall School in Belsize Park, headteacher Phillip Lough said Year 7 pupils were exhibiting symptoms were all making a speedy recovery. He said: “It is a mild flu – but children have had high temperatures of around 39 degrees. That is quite nasty.”
An NHS Camden spokesperson said: “In all cases such as this the priority is for NHS Camden and the Health Protection Agency is to ensure that TamiFlu is supplied to everyone who is medically assessed as needing it. People were directed to UCH because it is a well-known point in the borough and easily accessible.
“NHS Camden continues to work closely with the Health Protection Agency and Camden Council to monitor the situation.”
Anyone who is concerned should call the Swine Flu information line on 0800 1 513 513 or contact their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
TOM FOOT

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