13 January 2011
Islanders are being reminded of the importance of washing their hands and using tissues to stop germs spreading in the fight against flu.
The Health and Social Services Department is relaunching the 'Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.' campaign to highlight the need to practise basic hygiene to prevent the spread of infection.
Jersey’s Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr Susan Turnbull, said “To date there have been 116 confirmed cases of flu in Jersey, 62 of which tested positive for H1N1 (swine flu). We’ve relaunched the 'Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.' campaign to remind people of the basic measures that everyone should take at home and in the workplace to prevent the spread of flu.”
Meanwhile, people with certain health conditions who have not yet had the seasonal flu vaccine are being reminded to call their GP to make an appointment. Islanders with the following conditions are at higher risk of developing complications, as are women who are pregnant or who gave birth in the last 6 weeks:
- chronic heart, lung, liver, kidney or neurological disease
- asthma
- diabetes
- impaired immunity
Dr Turnbull, said “If you’re in an at risk group, vaccination is the best way to be protected against flu. Although there is still seasonal flu vaccine in the Island, we’re topping up supplies by giving GPs H1N1 vaccine, following advice from the UK’s Chief Medical Officer that it should be used as seasonal flu vaccine, since H1N1 is the main circulating virus as well as the main cause for concern.
“The H1N1 vaccine is currently being offered proactively to unvaccinated healthcare workers in Jersey - they are not only in an at risk group because of the job they do but also because they may transmit infection to already vulnerable patients.
“The data so far suggests that the 25-40 year olds in at-risk groups are particularly vulnerable and I would urge them to delay no longer and make time to get protected by vaccine – readily available for at-risk people – from any of our GPs.”
Additional vaccination clinics are also being held for women who are pregnant or had a baby in the past 6 weeks at the Antenatal Clinic on:
- Wednesday 19 January – 9am to 4pm
- Thursday 20 January – 9am to 4pm
Flu (health and wellbeing section)
gov.je