Category: United Kingdom

Swine flu plan for schools via BBC

July 28, 2009 by srrpenna

The BBC could be asked to clear its schedules for educational programmes if schools are closed due to swine flu, it has emerged.

Ministers are understood to have had discussions with the Corporation as part of its "contingency planning" for the pandemic.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said: "The Government drew up plans to deal with a flu pandemic more than 18 months ago which give indications for contingency plans, including online learning and discussions with broadcasters including the BBC and Teachers TV."

First wave of swine flu may have peaked in England

July 24, 2009 by srrpenna

The number of swine flu cases in Britain may drop within the next two weeks before a return of the virus this winter, a flu expert said today.

Alan Hay, of the World Influenza Centre in London, suggested the first wave of illness may have already peaked but could not predict how far levels would fall in this phase of the pandemic.

from Guardian

Swine flu: 100,000 infected in a week

July 24, 2009 by srrpenna

Swine flu infected at least 100,000 Britons last week, officials announced on Thursday.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, said there were now 840 patients in hospital in England with swine flu, 63 of them in intensive care.

Children are being hit hardest, with relatively few cases amongst the elderly, as it is thought they may have some immunity to the H1N1 virus from previous pandemics.

more info from Telegraph

Swine Flu Could Devastate British Economy

July 20, 2009 by srrpenna

Just as the British economy was slowly beginning to recover, a new foe has emerged. Swine flu could cause Britain's economy to shrink by a gigantic 7.5% this year and dash hopes of recovery next year.

"If the worst-case scenarios of the threat of swine flu are fully realized, gross domestic product could fall by as much as an additional 3% this year and another 1.7% in 2010,” said Peter Spencer, chief economic advisor to the Ernst & Young Item Club, a London-based think tank.