A new collection point for picking up antiviral medication for the swine flu virus H1N1 has opened in Epping. It will be used for people who have been in contact with the national flu line and have been diagnosed with the virus and given an authorisation number. They will also be informed of the loction of the new collection point in Epping.
Specific information is needed about the person with swine flu, including their date of birth, current symptoms, history of serious medical conditions and NHS number or passport number. The person collection the medication must also be able to prove their identity using either a utility bill, passport, credit or debit card, driving licence or NHS card.
Alison Cowie, Director of Public Health at NHS West Essex said: “The antiviral collection point in Epping is the first to open and will be followed by others shortly. It will be open from 8am to 8pm everyday.” Anyone who thinks they have swine flu should contact the National Pandemic Flu Service on 0800 1513 100 or visit the website here.
Day five and I must say, I feel very much better. My soar throat and cough remain and I’m still a little achy, but that’s pretty much it. I’ve just finished my last dose of the Tamiflu anti-viral medication and my GP has informed me I will be able to step outside of the house again for the first time tomorrow morning without fear of spreading the virus.
Today, a large percentage of the national media are reporting the Government’s suggestion that 64,000 people will die of swine flu before the end of the year, which has naturally frightened many people. However, what they have not reported is that this is their worst case scario and the numbers actually range from 8,000 to 64,000. It is also worth noting that a winter flu pandemic a few years ago saw over 25,000 death which many of us didn’t even know about, so I think it’s important that we keep this in perspective.
I can also see that many people have visited my blog in search of details of pharmacies stocking Tamiflu. I can confirm that the Rectory Lane Health Centre in Rectory Lane, Loughton is our nearest stockist. Their postcode is IG10 3RU and their telephone number is 020 8272 4600.
Well, it’s officially my third day of living with the swine flu virus and taking the antiviral medication Tamiflu and I must say, I am starting to feel much better. Although I was formally diagnosed with swine flu three days ago, I actually believe that I contracted the virus at an event last Sunday, which would be 7 days ago and started to see the effects of the virus 5 days ago. My doctor advised me that I should be all-clear within 5 days of symptoms showing, but to be on the safe-side, I should lock myself away without any contact with the human world for 5 days from the point of diagnosis.
I still remain very lethargic though. Everything I do seems like such a lot of effort. My muscles ache a great deal less and I have no pains in my joints at all any more. I do still have a cough and some shortness of breath when I walk up or down the stairs, but my nose has completely dried up. I can feel my body in recovery if that makes sense.
I don’t think there’s much else to report today I’m afraid, but come back tomorrow and you may find me better still! We live in hope.
Last night, at home in Epping, I took the first of my 75mg Tamiflu or Oseltamivir tablets. I am required to take one tablets twice a day and I am told I will feel no different, but they should bring the effects of the virus and its contagious properties to an end quicker than they would do naturally.
My nose today has been running like a tap and is very sore. My eyes have also been watering a lot, a bit like the effects of hay fever if you hayfever suffered from that horrible condition. My joint pain in my shoulders and elbows seems to have reduced, but the pain in my fingers seems to have intensified - although as someone concerned yesterday did point out to me, perhaps I shouldn’t be typing if I have muscle / joint pain and they’re quite right. I have definitely noticed that since taking the Tamiflu, I feel less dizzy and I have less of a head ache.
I must admit, I have been a bit frightened after reading the BBCs story today, which tells us about the first “healthy” person’s death from swine flu and that this person lived in Essex. The full story can be found here. According to the Government, 14 people have died in the UK of the virus so far and, in London and the West Midlands, the virus will soon reach “epidemic levels”.
I guess my biggest concern with this virus is that the more people that contract it, the more likely it is to mutate into something else. If this happens, our Government have spent hundreds of millions of pounds commissioning 60million doses of Tamiflu and they would have to spend that money again on a new anti-virus serum should it be necessary. In the middle of a recession, the last think we need really is this nasty flu bug! It really is a tragedy that people are suddenly having their lives snatched away from them now though. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those effected.
So, how did this all begin for me. Well, on Tuesday morning this week, I woke up in Epping feeling a bit groggy. I had a very soar throat and a cough which almost came out of nowhere. When I stood up, I felt incredibly dizzy and my muscles ached like I’d completed some form of marathon. I also had pain in the joints of my shoulders, arms and fingers. I soon realised I also had a headache and a runny nose. Naturally, at first I thought I probably just had a bit of a cold or perhaps even flu, but all I wanted to do was rest and sleep. I have recently undergone some surgery to remove and replace some bones in my leg which has required me to rest for a long period of time so I did wondered whether this was to blame for feeling so lethargic and achy. I had a good nights sleep on Tuesday but woke up with a high temperature and covered in sweat on Wednesday morning. Everything else was pretty much the same. I just spent the day in bed catching up with some paperwork. I do, however, remember having to walk downstairs for some water and feeling very short of breath.
By Wednesday evening, I thought that perhaps something was wrong. I knew it wasn’t just a cold, but I’ve never suffered from flu before. My muscles seemed to ache as time was passing and I had less strength to pick anything heavy up. My mind did turn to the idea of swine flu and I decided to look up the symptoms of the NHS Direct website. I took the ‘test’ available online which told me to contact my GP immediately, but it was out of hours, so this morning I made the call and after waiting 20 minutes to get through to the receptionist, my details were taken and a doctor from the duty team called me back within about 15 minutes. She discussed my symptoms in detail and asked me lots of questions. She also made me take my temperature whilst she was speaking to her.
Before I knew it, I had an over-the-phone diagnosis that I was the 10th person in West Essex to have contracted Swine Flu. I was informed that I would be prescribed 75mgs of Tamiflu, which was only available to
be collected from four pharmacies: one in Waltham Abbey, one in Loughton, one in Nazeing and one in Harlow. I have been informed that I must be incubated and not have contact with anyone for a period of at least 5 days and must call my doctor again if any of my symptoms get worse.
And so I am laying in my bed waiting for my sister who has kindly left her place of work to visit the pharmacy and bring me the antivirus serum, which the doctor also informed me does not stop the virus in its tracks. It simply reduces the amount of time you have it. I will keep you posted with how I get on…!!
The number of people who have contracted Swine Flu in West Essex, which covers Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford has increased to six, the West Essex NHS Trust have confirmed. The potentially deadly H1N1 virus has previously been found in a couple from North Weald who had been on holiday in America. So far 3 people have been killed in the UK and 332 people worldwide.
This information has been released on the same day the Health Secretary, Andy Burnham MP, has said the Government expects 100,000 new cases of swine flu to be diagnosed each day by the end of August. He stated: "Cases are doubling every week and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases per day by the end of August." He also confirmed there were now 7,447 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK and a significant number of people had been hospitalised, but also stated that the UK would have 60milion doses of vaccine available by the end of the year. In the last week, the virus has hit high-profile events including Glastonbury and Wimbledon where 28 staff members have been sent home with suspected cases.
Fore more information on this virus, please contact the Department of Health here or the Health Protection Agency here. Alternatively, you can fine further Swine Flu links here.
A new collection point for picking up antiviral medication for the swine flu virus H1N1 has opened in Epping. It will be used for people who have been in contact with the national flu line and have been diagnosed with the virus and given an authorisation number. They will also be informed of the loction of the new collection point in Epping.
