Doctors and other health professionals should look after themselves as well as their families and patients. The fact about swine flu is that there is no way that you can tell whether you will fall ill and become seriously ill or not.
Whilst death rates remain low for normally healthy people, you are likely to be ill for seven or so days (shortened by 1 day with Oseltamivir as NICE guidance states). Data from the HPA shows that this is ‘proper flu’ in those in whom the disease is confirmed, and it is a debilitating illness as flu always is.
The swine flu vaccine remains a good match against the currently circulating swine flu. Why would you want to become ill when there is a safe and effective vaccine available?
- Dr Philip Monk is Consultant in Health Protection and Member of FPH Health Protection Committee
Better Health For All 
Leave a Reply