Health and Safety

Got Swine Flu? - Stay Home

16 November 2009

Swine Flu - 'Stay Home and Phone' poster

To assist members and help prevent the spread of swine flu the CWU has issued extensive information and the Industrial Departments have engaged employers in discussions regarding the issue and impact on attendance procedures.

The Basic Messages are:-

If You Think You Have Swine Flu - Stay Home and Phone

Symptoms of Swine Flu are:

  • a fever over 38 degrees and at least two others such as a sudden cough, tiredness, headache, sore throat, or aching muscles.

If you have these:

  1. DO NOT go to your GP, pharmacy, A&E, walk in centre or Anti-Viral Collection Point.
  2. Phone the National Pandemic Flu Service. They will give you advice and tell you how to get some antiviral medicine and tell you if you need to talk to your GP.
  3. Stay home and phone - you will get sorted out, help prevent the spread of swine flu and ensure essential NHS services can continue.
  4. Stay home and phone - it's the right thing to do.
  5. Notify your employer.

Reducing the risk of catching or spreading flu

  1. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Use a tissue.
  2. Dispose of used tissues carefully.
  3. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcoholic hand rub
  4. Clean hard surfaces (e.g. kitchen worktops, door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.

In most cases the virus has proved relatively mild and most people recover within a week, even without special treatment. However, around the world hundreds of people have died and it is not yet clear how big a risk the virus is. For this reason, and because all viruses can mutate to become stronger, scientists are saying we need to be careful and do what we can to prevent the spread.

More Information