Topic: National Flu Service goes live

[Clive]

The government has set up a telephone helpline and website to deal with the swine flu pandemic.

The website, www.pandemicflu.direct.gov.uk, contains a symptoms checklist and offers access to drugs to treat the illness without the need to consult a doctor.

However, the site is currently showing the messge: "The Service is currently very busy and cannot deal with your request at this time."

You can also access the same information by calling 0800 1513 513. For the moment, the National Flu Service only covers England as far fewer cases of swine flu have been reported in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

People with existing health problems, pregnant women, the elderly and babies should still be seen by a general practitioner.

Earlier this week, the Flu Survey website, which asks sufferers of swine flu to complete a short survey in order to help track the spread of the disease, was launched.

Surfers are also warned to be wary of swine flu-related malware, after a specially created PDF file containing a Trojan horse was spotted.

[Simon]

Thanks, Clive, although, I still think many of the people who think they've got swine flu, have just got a bad cold.

[sam]

Thanks, Clive, although, I still think many of the people who think they've got swine flu, have just got a bad cold.

indeed, the government aren't testing - they are just claiming. Awful science.

[GillE]

Did you ever expect the government to produce some decent science?  Just look at the government's 'scientific' evaluations of global warming, alcohol abuse and obesity...

...and those are just the first three off the top of my head.