Health Protection Agency begins winter flu activity reporting
Oct 8, 2005 - 5:28:00 AM
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For the past few years flu levels in the UK have remained low. However, as flu can be an unpredictable illness we should remain vigilant and continue to monitor flu activity week by week throughout the season. By doing this we can assess how levels are changing, ascertain which viruses are circulating and issue warnings if levels of activity begin to increase significantly."
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By Health Protection Agency (HPA),
[RxPG] This week the Health Protection Agency (HPA) resumes its UK surveillance of flu activity for the winter season. Regular updates will be published on the Agency's website either weekly or fortnightly depending on the level of flu activity.
The Agency's surveillance will monitor the level of flu activity occurring; the strains of the flu virus that are circulating (for example are we seeing any new or unexpected strains and do the flu strains differ to those included in this year's flu vaccine); and the situation elsewhere in Europe and around the world.
One of the primary methods used to monitor flu levels is through the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) surveillance scheme. The scheme takes a sample of GPs from around the country and measures the number of people consulting those GPs for flu or flu-like illness.
The current thresholds used to define the level of flu activity are:
Baseline activity (200 consultations per 100,000 people).
By interpreting the data using thresholds, clear and consistent information about the levels of influenza illness in the community can be estimated, including when it is appropriate to recommend the use of antiviral drugs.
Dr John Watson, Head of the Respiratory Diseases Department for the Agency, said:
For the past few years flu levels in the UK have remained low. However, as flu can be an unpredictable illness we should remain vigilant and continue to monitor flu activity week by week throughout the season. By doing this we can assess how levels are changing, ascertain which viruses are circulating and issue warnings if levels of activity begin to increase significantly.
For the majority of people, although it is unpleasant, the flu is not life-threatening. Symptoms can include a headache, fever, cough, sore throat, and aching muscles and joints.
However, the flu can be dangerous for at-risk groups, such as the elderly or patients with heart problems, diabetes or asthma or those who are immunocompromised. It is important that these people take up the offer of influenza vaccination.
It is important to note that the influenza viruses that regularly circulate during the winter are different from pandemic influenza. Pandemics arise when a new virus emerges that is capable of spreading worldwide. Its emergence and potential impact are both difficult to predict and it causes illness in a high proportion of the people infected. Most people will have little or no immunity to a new subtype of influenza because they will not have been infected or vaccinated with it or a similar virus before.
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