Swine flu precautions

[beamwidth]

Just wondering if any of the ANSPs have announced any plans to vaccinate staff against the swine flu?
How long before the first ATCO is diagnosed, and all hell will break loose.
Its rumoured here in the IAA that there are plans afoot to do something. Island nation dependant on air travel yadda yadda
Any thoughts/comments?

[Roffa]

To the best of my knowledge the first atco at Swanwick has already been diagnosed.

Surprisingly the place hasn't fallen to bits around the news :rolleyes:

[anotherthing]

Roffa is correct, Swanwick already has it's first 2 cases (that I know of). 1st of those was almost a fortnight ago.

The thing is, now that we can't have access to a GP and diagnosis is done over the phone, people with heavy summer colds could be diagnosed with swine flu, as could people with 'ordinary' 'flu.

The figures that are coming out re number of new infections every week are not worth the paper they are written on. But at least it takes media attention away from ill-equipped troops or MPs expenses, or the sharp downturn in the economy last quarter (totally at odds with the Govetrnements predictions).

A storm in a teacup IMHO.

[Quintilian]

Here at my place of work we have two precautionary things:
1) posters reminding us to wash our hands
2) applying antibac as a part of the daily routine.

Hoooray :D

[Standard Noise]

HA! HA! We got an email with a link to the company swine flu plan but the link to the plan requires some sort of access code that we don't have. Keystone Cops springs to mind. DOH!
Other than that, antibacterial gel at every cut and turns, crap stuff, like an oil slick, strip holders flying out of yer hands like wriggly fish.

[CheeseMaster]

The smell of the alcohol from the antibac gel does add a certain something to the ops room at the moment.:D

[beamwidth]

We have one person with a suspected case in Shannon.
there is no smell of antibac anywhere, as its not being provided.
The Government here have been quite slow off the mark - not really a shock, but companies are not getting up from the arses to do anything either!
The reaction - and it will be a reaction - will come after a few more people feel a bit run down, go to the quack, tell them that someone they work with is a suspected case, and get isolated for a period of time.
when no one shows up for the early shift in about 3 weeks from now, then the antibac may appear!

I do agree that there is a lot of hype about it, but even scary worldwide pandemic stories, have not done anything to cause any action as such (proactive or reactive)

same old same old

[Waterfall]

The thing is, now that we can't have access to a GP and diagnosis is done over the phone, people with heavy summer colds could be diagnosed with swine flu, as could people with 'ordinary' 'flu.:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
How can one do that over the telephone?????:}:}:}:}:}:}:

[Dizzee Rascal]

Let’s hope overuse of smiley’s is not a symptom of Swine Flu!:)

[BEXIL160]

What puzzles me, simple soul that I am, is that Antibacterial alcohol gels may well be good at combating bacterial illness.... but colds and flu are Viral illnesses, are they not? ::confused::confused:

It is true that friction (rubbing your hands) would remove some nasty viral and bacterial particles, but when done under running water with soap they are safely disposed of down the sink. Paper towels also help. Just rubbing your hands in alcohol gel might well kill bacteria, it won't kill viruses... but it might help spread them around.

I tend to agree with the opinion that hyping up a flu "pandemic" distracts attention from topics that the government would rather we paid less attention to.


BEX

[Ceannairceach]

This whole thing is ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous.

[man friday]

Having read the NATS guidelines it advises absence from work if you have two or more of the list of symptoms.

as these include headache and vomiting i expect mass absence every sat and sun AM due to the humble hangover!

[BIRD2008]

Man Friday: I guess that goes with so many of ATC around the world!

Here up North nothing has been done about the swineflu, but then again we just have some 28 cases so far, but all are confirmed (17 of them last couple of days).

I guess when the brass comes back from summer vacation we will see some real changes that make a big difference.... like antibacterial gel!!!
:D

[thorisgod]

Yup the IAA have got their act together and in Shannon provided us not only with Alcohol based gel dispensers every 3 feet (the place smells like my bedroom on a Sunday morning) but also with signs everywhere telling us how to wash our hands properly:D Mind you, there's a few people who could do with being told TO WASH THEIR HANDS, never mind how to!

Thorisgod