25 November 2009
In the past week, cases of swine flu have doubled in Jersey with 242 new cases diagnosed, mostly in school-age children.
Medical Officer of Health, Dr Rosemary Geller, said: “This is a critical point in time. We’re dealing with increasing numbers of cases and the pandemic team are working intensively to get the outbreak under control.
“However, it is too soon to judge whether the outbreak will continue to grow or whether the measures put in place, such as vaccination and offering Tamiflu to contacts of swine flu cases, will dampen the spread of the virus in the Island.”
Essential workers including Jersey police, prison officers and the fire service will start getting the swine flu vaccine this week. Other essential staff, such as health care workers and teachers, were vaccinated in the first and second phases of the programme. Children, who are under school age but not in nursery, are also being immunised this week.
The Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Anne Pryke, said: “I commend and support the health professionals in my department and the policies and services which they have put in place to deal with swine flu. Their containment strategy has achieved a great deal in holding back the outbreak for so long.
“Our Island is ahead of most jurisdictions with its vaccination programme and I’m delighted that more than a quarter of our population has already had the vaccine. This is a great achievement since vaccination is our main weapon to bring the outbreak under control. I hope that this will significantly blunt the effect of the outbreak and prevent placing the health care system under strain.”
Anyone who has a fever (usually with temperature 38 degrees or more) and flu symptoms should stay at home and call their GP, or if well enough to go out, make an appointment at their GP’s special flu clinic. It is important that people do not go to A&E as this runs the risk of spreading the virus into the hospital.
The flu helpline, which provides general information for the public, is open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm and the number to call is 445566. Anyone needing medical advice should contact their GP.
gov.je