In message <[log in to unmask]>, Chris Salter
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Hello Mary and GP-UK,
>
>Saturday, October 15, 2005, 9:17:43 AM, Mary wrote:
>
>> In message <[log in to unmask]>, Paul Caldwell
>> <[log in to unmask]> writes
>
>>>i might be wrong but the vaccine and tamiflu isnt hugely effective,
>>>though better than nothing, for a major virulent pathogen which seems
>>>to kill most who get the illness. do people really think we are going
>>>to risk getting it?! if this were marburg or lassa fever, we would not
>>>be told to anywhere near an infection and leave it to the boys in space
>>>suits to deal with. just cos its called 'flu', doesn't mean it isnt deadly.
>
>> Should we be asking for space suits as well? How effective are they in
>> cases of 'flu? If they were useful in SARS, why weren't we told?
>
>> My instinct would be to stockpile supplies and keep home in isolation...
>
>I have arrived at much the same conclusion although it raises a number
>of issues. One of which is should patients on long-term medication be
>allowed/encouraged where practical to obtain say six months supply
>with a repeat two months before their supply runs out? In the event of
>a significant outbreak the Government advice may well be to stay
>indoors so the last thing you would want to do is travel to the local
>pharmacist to pick up your prescription. What does the team think?
At the millennium - when we didn't know whether the worst case scenario
might occur - I did something like that for some of my patients.
The shelf life of insulin - which has a very long production/supply
chain and is not manufactured in the UK - is 3 months in the
refrigerator: prednisolone for asthmatics is cheaper and lasts
longer.....
I recommended a months supply of food which did not require cooking -
and bought a wind-up radio and dynamo torch for myself...
A bird flu epidemic would be worse: if patients are advised to stay at
home, who is going to make deliveries?
Joking aside, surely the first thing would be to close the schools?
Can't think why it wasn't done in the last food poisoning outbreak..
MaryH
PS would your pharmacist be *able* to fill the prescription?
>
>Chris
>
--
Mary Hawking
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