Swine Flu Central

Either we are stuck in the middle of a swine flu hotspot, or there is something else nasty making the rounds. It is hard to tell, given that the NHS is now into epidemic mode and treating anyone with swine flu-ish symptoms with tamiflu without bothering to test to confirm swine flu first. Both Angel's and Star's schools have confirmed cases (presumably diagnosed before they stopped running tests). Two girls in Angel's class are being treated, including J-next-door ... which given that all the girls flit between both houses puts us right in the firing line.

J is OK. She has had a fever and sore throat since Friday, but she is walking wounded with no complications or anything to cause concern. At the first sign of any fever here we will be straight in the queue for tamiflu, but other than that we are carrying on as normal - given the level of exposure there doesn't seem to be any point trying to avoid it. If, indeed, this is it. J's illness seems very like the one I had last month, which I'm pretty certain was not swine flu.

Whatever, I guess the flu is likely to catch up with us at some point (apparently in a flu epidemic they expect roughly a third of the population to get it), and we are being pretty laid back about it. While I am well aware swine flu can turn nasty - sadly a doctor in a nearby town died from it last week - for the overwhelming majority of people it is mild, and there doesn't seem much point in worrying unnecessarily.

In the immortal words of Dad's Army: "Don't panic, Mr. Mainwaring, don't panic!"