22 May 2009
Jersey ’s Public Health department is updating its advice for islanders returning from the areas of the world most affected by the current outbreak of Swine Flu.
The department is asking that children or healthcare workers returning from Mexico or any part of the USA should stay off school or work for 48 hours on their return. The Medical Officer of Health, Dr Rosemary Geller, says they want to minimise the spread of any possible cases before a vaccine is available: “The Health Protection Agency has updated its advice on which are the areas affected by Swine Flu, and we are erring on the side of caution.
“We still believe there will be cases in Jersey at some point, and we want to make sure we delay that for as long as possible and then slow down the spread once it arrives.”
The department has just received the results of tests on the island’s one remaining possible case of the new H1N1 virus. This test is negative. This means there have been no confirmed cases in the Island to date.
Polish and Portuguese translations of the Swine Flu leaflet are avaliable in States buildings and through community organisations.
Note to editors:
Previously this advice applied to children and healthcare workers returning to Jersey from Mexico and US States bordering Mexico .
Jersey ’s health authorities are advising anyone with flu-like symptoms to request a home visit from their GP rather than visit their doctor’s surgery. The Public Health Department is developing a public awareness campaign which will encourage good hygiene to help prevent the spread of infection should Influenza A (H1N1) reach the Island .
gov.je