Symptoms
Important
Swine Flu Hotlines
If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned that you may have swine flu:
Stay at home and check your symptoms using the National Pandemic Flu Service.
Call your GP directly if:
- you have a serious underlying illness,
- you are pregnant,
- you have a sick child under one year of
age,
- your condition suddenly gets much
worse, or
- your condition is still getting worse after
seven days (five for a child).
High-risk Groups
According to the world health organisation it can take up to 7 days from the date of infection for swine flu symptoms to appear. In most cases symptoms will appear within 2-5 days, people who think they may have contracted swine flu should follow the details outlined in the left hand column of this page.
Below are details of swine flu symptoms as described on the official NHS website.
The typical symptoms are:
- sudden fever (a high body temperature of 38C/100.4F or above), and
- sudden cough.
Other symptoms may include:
- headache,
- tiredness,
- chills,
- aching muscles,
- limb or joint pain,
- diarrhoea or stomach upset,
- sore throat,
- runny nose,
- sneezing, and
- loss of appetite.
Most people who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even without being given antiviral medication.
However, experts point out that as this is a new virus, its behaviour cannot be predicted with certainty.
Swine flu is different from seasonal flu in that most serious illnesses have been in younger age groups.
A doctor faced with a symptomatic patient cannot yet predict with
certainty the course of their illness and whether or not they will be
in the small proportion who may become more seriously ill.
This is why antiviral medication is still being given to all those with
swine flu in the UK, subject to their doctor’s discretion.
Information displayed on this page has been taken from the official NHS website: www.nhs.uk
England: 0800 1 513 513
Scotland: 08454 24 24 24
Wales: 0845 46 47
Remeber
Ensure everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water Clean surfaces regularly to get rid of germs Use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze Place used tissues in a bin as soon as possible
people with:
- chronic lung disease,
- chronic heart disease,
- chronic kidney disease,
- chronic liver disease,
- chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease)
- immunosuppression (whether caused by
disease or treatment)
- diabetes mellitus
- patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 years and older
- young children under five years old.
Two Little Ducks
