Swine Flu Vaccinations Begin
UK swine vaccination program began today. People who are frontliine workers, i.e. mostly those in the health professions who have to deal with people who are infected are first in line to receive the vaccine, along with those in vulnerable groups.
The vaccination program comes against the latest estimate of new cases in Britain this week. Health officials estimate 27,000 new cases of Swine Flu this week, as opposed 8,000 last week,
What Is This. Swine Flu?
So this morning I'm doing my usual train tube tube journey to work, crossing London from south east to west and to my surprise I discover that we are in the middle of a health crisis that if you believe the headlines is going to wipe out half the population of the earth. I discover that there has been an outbreak of swine flu. Never heard that one before, but apparently it's highly contagious and the WHO (World Health Organization) have said it has the potential to reach pandemic levels.
Second Dies Outside Mexico
A second person outside of Mexico has died. Whilst doctors haven't confirmed that the 33 year old woman from Texas died of swine flu, she is thought to have been infected by the disease and died as a result of complications. She had recently given birth to a new baby. Whilst no strictly speaking a swine flu death, we can presume that the respiratory problems associated with swine flu may have contributed to her death.
Schools Close Nearby
I got up this morning and the BBC reports stated that 5 schools have been closed today as pupils have been found to be infected with the H1N1 virus. One of the closed schools is about a mile away from where I live so I know that swine flu is closeby and there is a realistic chance that I will at some point in time succomb.
Over the weekend, I had a touch of fever, aches and pains in my stomach, some coughing as well, however much I tried to dismiss the worse case scenario thoughts at the time, I couldn't helpp thinking, bloody hell, I'm coming down with something.
Swine Flu Quarantine Measures
I seem to have got over my paranoia from yesterday, and am back to my usual -'when you're number's up' - type philosophy on life and death. However I do know that I can't afford as a freelancer to be laid up in bed for weeks on end, quarantined with Swine Flu, and not being able to get anything or see anyone.
