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Swine flu could hit more than a million
Newstalk ZB June 12, 2009, 11:56 am
There is a warning from the Ministry of Health that more than a million New Zealanders could end up getting swine flu.
The World Health Organisation has declared the H1N1 virus to be the 21st century's first pandemic. It is particularly concerned at how rapidly it's spreading in Australia.
New Zealand health officials now say a community outbreak is inevitable and predict the virus will afflict the country for months.
Deputy Director of Pubic Health Dr Darren Hunt says it is possible 30 percent of the population could get the virus.
"Because most of the population's not immune, it will spread quite rapidly and a larger proportion of the population will get it. We don't know exactly how many, but the estimates of 20 to 30 percent would not be surprising."
Dr Hunt says the infection rate would be spread over a period of time, so it would not be the case that 30 percent of the country would have swine flu at the same time.
The latest figures have 30 people confirmed infected, 10 further probable cases and 288 people in isolation.
During a similar outbreak in the 1970s, US health authorities instituted a mass vaccination programme - however the vaccine had side effects for some people and deaths were recorded.
Dr Hunt says that is being considered in the context of a vaccination programme here.
"Yes vaccination is a very real strategy that we're looking at, because it can potentially protect large numbers of people. But we take the issues of safety very seriously still."
Parents are being told there is no need to cancel overseas travel plans for next month's school holidays. The Ministry of Health says people who return from overseas, and are well, do not need to be routinely excluded from work or school.
The Maritime Union will ask employers to pay workers sent home due to swine flu quarantines. Secretary Trevor Hanson is worried about waterside workers who may come in contact with the virus through crews on cargo vessels. He says the crew on the Cook Strait ferries are particularly at risk as they are in constant contact with travellers.
Mr Hanson says even short periods of missed wages can be serious for low income workers and employers. He not only wants them to continue to be paid if they are quarantined, but says employers should assisted them to get household supplies delivered.
Swine flu could hit more than a million
Newstalk ZB June 12, 2009, 11:56 am
There is a warning from the Ministry of Health that more than a million New Zealanders could end up getting swine flu.
The World Health Organisation has declared the H1N1 virus to be the 21st century's first pandemic. It is particularly concerned at how rapidly it's spreading in Australia.
New Zealand health officials now say a community outbreak is inevitable and predict the virus will afflict the country for months.
Deputy Director of Pubic Health Dr Darren Hunt says it is possible 30 percent of the population could get the virus.
"Because most of the population's not immune, it will spread quite rapidly and a larger proportion of the population will get it. We don't know exactly how many, but the estimates of 20 to 30 percent would not be surprising."
Dr Hunt says the infection rate would be spread over a period of time, so it would not be the case that 30 percent of the country would have swine flu at the same time.
The latest figures have 30 people confirmed infected, 10 further probable cases and 288 people in isolation.
During a similar outbreak in the 1970s, US health authorities instituted a mass vaccination programme - however the vaccine had side effects for some people and deaths were recorded.
Dr Hunt says that is being considered in the context of a vaccination programme here.
"Yes vaccination is a very real strategy that we're looking at, because it can potentially protect large numbers of people. But we take the issues of safety very seriously still."
Parents are being told there is no need to cancel overseas travel plans for next month's school holidays. The Ministry of Health says people who return from overseas, and are well, do not need to be routinely excluded from work or school.
The Maritime Union will ask employers to pay workers sent home due to swine flu quarantines. Secretary Trevor Hanson is worried about waterside workers who may come in contact with the virus through crews on cargo vessels. He says the crew on the Cook Strait ferries are particularly at risk as they are in constant contact with travellers.
Mr Hanson says even short periods of missed wages can be serious for low income workers and employers. He not only wants them to continue to be paid if they are quarantined, but says employers should assisted them to get household supplies delivered.