Argyll Swine Flu Latest
published this on 6:05 pm, Monday, 22nd June, 2009Community News | Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping |
News update: 18.00, 22nd June: Today there is one new confirmed case of H1N1 in Argyll – a P5 pupil at Rhu Primary School. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Argyll & Bute to 128.
Following a risk assessment involving both NHS Highland and Health Protection Scotland, the advice is that all classes in Rhu Primary School should remain open.
NHS Highland has issued a letter to all parents at the school, with a leaflet containing information on the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, symptoms to look out for and good hygiene measures. In our news update for 3rd June below, we carry sound basic guidance and links to helpful websites.
In this outbreak to date, there have been justifiable criticisms of actions not taken and information not given. This is inevitable in a situation unfamiliar to everyone and unpredictable in the direction in which it might move. The critical thing will be the actions now taken, demonstrating that lessons have been learned. The NHS letter to parents of children at Rhu Primary School looks like the first piece of evidence that this is the case..
News update: 18.00, 19th June: 12 new cases of H1N1 were confirmed today, making a new total for Scotland of 549, with 2 more probable cases and 518 possibles under investigation. The location of the additional 12 cases has not been specifically mentioned but the fact that Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon talked only of Greater Glasgow and Clyde creates the assumption that the NHS Highland area is not involved.
News update: 18.00, 18th June: Today one new confirmed case of H1N1 is in NHS Highland region. It is not been announced whether this case is in the ‘Dunoon cluster’ or related to the previous case confirmed in Inverness.
News update: 18.00 17th June: For the second successive day, there have no new confirmed cases of H1N1 in Argyll, although there were 22 more confirmed in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, bringing the Scottish total of laboratory confirmed cases to 530.
Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, announced that NHS Scotland is now to revert to laboratory testing to confirm cases. The switch to clinical diagnosis by GPs had resulted in a marked increase in the number of ‘possibles’, raising questions on the accuracy of figures resulting from this approach. What else did they expect? With litigation always in the frame, what GP is going to take a chance on a negative opinion?
News update: 18.00, 16th June: While Scotland’s total of confirmed cases rose today to 508, there were no new confirmed cases in the NHS HIghland region which includes the ‘Dunoon cluster’.
News update: 18.00, 15th June: There have been no new confirmed cases in the ‘Dunoon cluster’ today. While this is encouraging, it should not be a prompt for lowering vigilance or hand washing and other personal protection measures outlined under our 3rd June update below.
A total of 71 new cases has been confirmed today by GPs in Scotland (this is the new emphasis we reported on clinical diagnosis as opposed to confirmation by laboratory testing). The addition brings the total of confirmed cases in Scotland to 569. All of the new cases were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS area
News update: 18.00, 14th June: Of the 35 new confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Scotland announced today, only 1 is in NHS Highland area and understood to be in the ‘Dunoon cluster’. The overall total of confirmed cases in Scotland is now 498 with a further 175 under investigation. 32 of the new cases are in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
News update: 18.00, 13th June: 8 new confirmed case of the 55 announced today by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon are in NHS Highland. 5t is understood that most of these relate to the ‘Dunoon cluster’. The total of confirmed cases in Scotland is 463; and there are a further 508 cases under investigation.
News update: 18.00, 12th June: In the highest daily total of confirmed cases since the start of the Swine Flu outbreak, 3 more cases confirmed today in the NHS Highland area are understood to be in the ‘Dunoon cluster’.
These are included in the overall daily total of 83 of which 74 are in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde area.
The overall total of confirmed cases in Scotland has now reached 420.
News update: 16.00, 11th June: The Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO) has just – as expected – announced that the current outbreak of Swine Flu is now classified as a pandemic.
This description changes nothing on the ground. It’s not a question of numbers (Scotland today has a total of 337 confirmed cases), it’s an issue of the spread of the virus into communities (like Dunoon) and in countries (now 74) outside the Americas, where the outbreak originated.
What increases the probability of catching the virus is not what it is called but how well you protect yourself against it and how well you protect others at risk from you. We’ve given basic advice below and if you scroll down to the update for 3rd June, you will find it alongside links to health websites with advice.
The main way the virus gets transmitted is by mucus from unshielded coughs, sneezes and splutter; by touching mucus-impregnated waste such as handkerchiefs and tissues; and by passing mucus around in sharing drinks and food, using the same cups, glasses, bottles, cans and cutlery. It takes only the tiniest drop of spray or smear touching the skin.
This is why it is wise to say away from mass audience events like rock concerts; or events with quite a few people in a closed space. Everyone can work out what this meas for themselves. Understand how transmission works, use your head take your own decisions and take responsibility – for other people as well as yourself. Good hygience – see basic rules on news update below for 3rd June – common sense and behaving responsibly will protect most people.
And remember that most of those unfortunate enough to catch the H1N1 virus are experiencing mild symptoms. But don’t take chances.
Scottish Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, earlier this afternoon announced some new measures in NHS Scotland’s management of the outbreak. These changes are governed by three priorities:
- to focus more accurately on containment of the spread of the virus
- to avoid indiscriminate issuing of the antiviral Tamiflu and thereby running the risk of the virus becoming resistant to the antiviral
- to shift the emphasis in conforming positive cases to clinical diagnosis and away from laboratory testing
This means that from now on:
- everyone suffering symptoms consistent with Swine Flu will be given Tamiflu
- only those closest to these people will be given Tamifl as the short-term (7 day) protective measure it is. This will include others sharing llving quarters with confirmed cases and those working very close beside them – like at the next desk – at school or at work. Entire classes and workforces will no longer be automatically issued with Tamiflu and should not expect it.
News update: 16.00, 10th June: The current situaiton in Argyll and Bute is:
- A group of children at Clyde Cottage Nursery and Clyde Cottage Nursery Centre in Dunoon have been asked to stay at home for a week, returning on Monday 15th June.
- Rothesay Primary’s P3 class, plus all pupils who used the same minibus as the confirmed case on the way to and from school, have been asked to stay at home for a week, returning on Wednesday 17th June.
- Dunoon Primary’s composite P5/P6 class, P6 class and composite P6/P7 class have also been asked to stay at home for a week, returning on Wednesday 17th June.
These are the new exclusion cases today. Otherwise:
- Toward Primary School and Apple Tree Nursery in Rothesay both reopened this morning.
- Dunoon Grammar School and Innellan, Kirn and Lochgoilhead Primary Schools remain closed but will reopen on Monday 15th June.
News update: 17.00, 9th June: Two more Argyll schools ask specific forms to stay at home for a week and one school is to reopen tomorrow. Today:
- Rothesay Primary School’s P3 class, plus all pupils who used the same school transport minibus as a confirmed case of H1N1 (Swine Flu) , have been asked to stay at home for a week – returning on Wednesday, June 17.
- Dunoon Primary School’s composite P5/P6 class, P6 class and composite P6/P7 class have also been asked to stay at home for a week – returning on Wednesday, June 17.
This action has been taken on the advice of NHS Highland and Health Protection Scotland and on the basis of ongoing risk assessments.
Five other schools in Argyll and Bute – Dunoon Grammar, Toward Primary, Innellan Primary, Kirn Primary and Lochgoilhead Primary – are already closed.
Toward Primary school will reopen tomorrow (Wednesday 10th June) and Innellan, Kirn, Lochgoilhead and Dunoon Grammar will reopen on Monday 15th June.
The additional 32 confirmed Scotland-wide cases announced today bring the Scottish total to 264. There are 380 possible cases under investigation and 8 health care workers are amongst the number of confirmed cases.
News update: 18.00, 8th June: Although Scotland has had a further 43 new cases of Swine Flu – the greatest number of new H1N1 cases confirmed in a single day – the figure given for NHS Highland area, responsible for the ‘Dunoon cluster’ cases, is now down to 3. While there is every reason to maintain strict hygiene and to protect yourself from others and others from you, this does indicate at least a temporary reduction in the rise of cases in the ‘Dunoon cluster’.
News update: 15.00, 7th June: 10 of Scotland’s new cases of Swine Flu (H1N1) confirmed today are in the NHS Highland area and thought to be in the ‘Dunoon cluster’. The total number of cases now confirmed in this area is 96; with 2 more probable cases; and 56 possibles.
Of the hospitalised cases, none of which is thought to be from the ‘Dunoon cluster’, 3 patients remain in intensive care and 2 of these – a 45-year-old man from Paisley and a 38-year-old Glasgow woman – remain in a critical but stable condition. No other hositalised cases are giving cause for concern.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon says: ‘Scotland is continuing to see an increase in cases of H1N1 which is in line with what we would expect to see with this virus and what has happened in other countries. We are continuing to do all we can to slow the spread of the virus and I would urge everyone to play their part by continuing to follow good hygiene practices, paying particular attention to handwashing’.
News update: 18.00, 6th June: 3 of another 13 positive Scottish cases announced today are related to the ‘Dunoon cluster’.
News update, 17.00, 5th June: 16 of a further 22 positive cases in Scotland today are in the ‘Dunoon cluster’. Two more schools have been closed – Lochgoilhead Primary School and Dunoon Grammar School – the last previously open but with a 3rd form excluded for 7 days.
News update 12.00, 5th June: Instructions to GPs have been quietly changed, leading to the automatic testing for Swine Flu of people with severe flu-like symptoms and located in the ‘Dunoon cluster’ of the outbreak. The same instructions – the move we have already reported to what is called a ‘coping’ strategy, rather than one of ‘containment’, have been issued to doctors with practices in the two other Swine Flu clusters in Paisley and south Glasgow.
From now on the criteria for testing cases for Swine Flu include consideration of the following :
- Temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius or more in the past 7 days
- Flu-like symptoms including 2 or more of the following: cough; sore throat; runny nose; limb and/or joint pain; headache.
- Time spent recently in a country where there is proven sustained transmission of Swine Flu
- Contact with a confirmed or probable case of Swine Flu
- Being in a part of Scotland where sporadic cases of the Swine Flu virus (H1N1) have occurred in the past 7 days
- Diagnosis of pnenumonia or any severe respiratory disease in someone under 50.
If you feel that you or a member of your family’s experience is in the frame for testing for Swine Flu by these citeria, contact your doctor by phone, provide your evidence and insist on the test being administered.
GPs in Argyll & Bute have now been instructed to test on this basis but doctors are not infallible and we all have to look after ourselves as best we can.
Until now, the only patients offered testing were effectively those known to have been in touch with a carrier or who had travelled abroad. This procedure left anxieties that some infections were going unrecorded and untreated – and some indeed were.
The change will clearly increased the burden on the testing facilities and it is not yet known whether they can cope with the strain.
News update 16.00, 4th June: 21 new cases have been confirmed today in Highland area, covering Dunoon. Two more primary schools in Cowal are now to close for 7 days:
- Kirn Primary School is to close – A P5 class at Kirn Primary had previously been excluded but following an additional two confirmed cases in P7, public health officials have advised closing the entire school. Tamiflu is to be offered to P7 pupils.
- Innellan Primary School is to close – A P7 pupil from Inellan has also now been confirmed with the virus. As the school is a small, open-plan school the decision has been taken to close the entire school. Tamiflu will be offered to all pupils.
Outbreaks at both are believed to relate to a multi-school P7 trip. The 70 pupils and 20 staff who attended the event will all be offered Tamiflu.
In Scotland as a whole today there have been 31 new confirmed cases – including the 21 in Highland mentioned above), bringing the total affected by the H1N1 virus to 212. A further 56 cases are being investigated.
News update at 00.20 4th June: The Scottish outbreak, with a major cluster in Argyll, in and around Dunoon (and spreading), with another on the opposite bank of the Clyde – is being described as the worst outside North America. But remember that very few victims have experienced anything other than mild symptoms so follow the advice and the links we issued below in our update yesterday and just be sensible.
12.00 noon, 3rd June
- Toward Primary School, near Dunoon, has been closed following a confirmed case of influenza A (H1N1). The school has 25 pupils.
- Appletree private nursery school in Rothesay has also been closed and all 40 children attending have been treated with antivirals.
- Kyles shinty team is quarantined and their Saturday match is off.
Overall, the current position is that there are 35 confirmed cases in Argyll and Bute, the majority of which are related to the Dunoon cluster.
There are four cases at Dunoon Grammar School, one each in S3, S4 and two in S6. All S3 pupils are being kept at home as a precaution for 7 days from yesterday. The S6 pupils and the S4 pupil have not been in school for 7 days, due to study leave and, following risk assessment and advice from NHS Highland, the school remains open at this time.
P7 induction has been postponed.
There is also a confirmed case of a pupil in Kirn Primary School. Again the health advice is that the school should remain open but the P5 class has been sent home.
Everyone is advised to be watchful and to take sensible precautions about where you go, what you do and about hygiene. Anyone displaying symptoms – like fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, body aches, chills, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhoea – should remain at home and contact NHS 24 (0845 4 24 24 24) or telephone their GP immediately.
It is important not to turn up at a Doctor’s surgery without warning. And let your friends, colleagues and work seniors know if you feel unwell. After making contact with a doctor or with NHS 24 (0845 4 24 24 24), stay at home, having as little contact as possible with people outside the home, until you feel better.
Here is a useful source of advice on prevention and treatment of Swine Flu.
Four basic rules will be a real help in self-protection:
- Stay away, where you can, from situations like buses, trains and ferries, cinemas, theatres, football matches – even restaurants, cafes and pubs. Anywhere with large numbers of peope in close proximity is a potential transmission point for the virus.
- Have a large supply of paper handkerchiefs literally to hand – trap every single cough, sneeze and snuffle in one handkerchief and dispose of it in a bin immediately after using it. Keep the bin itself emptied regularly and, if possible, washed.
- Wash your hands thorougly after contact with other people, particularly if you are physically caring for someone (in which case also wash your hands before you touch them – to protect them from yourself); and before and during food preparation.
- Do not share food, drink, glasses, crockery or cutlery during use.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon says: ‘It is not unexpected that we are continuing to see new cases of this virus. We are determined to continue to do all we can to slow the spread of the virus.
‘I would like to reassure parents and the general public that the risk to public health still remains low. However, we can all play a part in disrupting the spread of the virus by taking sensible precautions – ‘including regular hand washing and following good hygiene procedures.’ (See general advice below and a useful link).
Argyll & Bute Council is continuing to work closely with NHS Highland, the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland and is acting according to their advice.
People in Argyll and Bute should be re-assured that the Council has already put arrangements in place to respond to the current concerns about swine flu. Protecting staff, users of its services and the public is the first priority for the Council.
Argyll & Bute Council and the Scottish Government, is now providing regular situation updates to For Argyl, which we will pass on quickly, pub;ishing them in this space as they come in.
Historical information to date is:
Update 17.30 Tuesday 2nd June: With 18 cases of Swine Flu now confirmed and known as ‘the Dunoon cluster’, a further 14 cases have been identified and are said to be in or around that cluster.
Advice from Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon is for people to be vigilant and alert and, crucially, to follow key hygiene advice, which is even more important now. Key basic advice can be found here on a Government health website on prevention and treatment of Swine Flu.
Nicola Sturgeon says there is no need for people to be unduly worried as the great majority of cases were experiencing only mild symptoms.
Jim Mather, Argyll MSP, says of the situation in Dunoon: ‘This outbreak of Swine ‘Flu has been rapidly diagnosed and it appears to be being treated appropriately and crisply by the local health authorities.
‘Careful precautions have been taken to contain the infection and I feel that it is important, while being aware of the threat, that we do not over react’.
News at 31st May: Form 3 at Dunoon Grammar School is being kept at home and the Dunoon Branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland has been closed.
A 13 year-old girl who was in class on Friday is one of the suspected cases of Swine Flu in the NHS Highland area. The move is precautionary and the School as a whole is staying open.
A full risk assessment was carried out at an early and its results led to the decision not to shut the school. Close contacts of the 13 year-old first diagnosed positvely (180 third-year pupils and nine teachers) were given antivirals – as were contacts of other confirmed cases.
The outbreak is said to be related to a party of people travelling by bus together to see Rangers play at Dundee. The Royal Bank of Scotland branch at Dunoon, now closed until further notice, has staff affected who were on this bus – as was first made public in a comment, below, on this article.
The situation is being kept under review but so far the symptoms suffered by those affected in Dunoon do not appear to be as severe as they might have been.
And people can still laugh. Swine Flu has evidently been rechristened ‘Blue Flu’- because it came on a Rangers’ Bus.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=66ed73ad-0251-4bfa-93e4-2b1f4487a392)
Related Posts
The Latest News from ForArgyll delivered via email, weekly or daily. You know it makes sense!
Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping | | Print This Post
Loading...
May 31st, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Twitter Comment
Argyll News: Swine Flu possibility hits Dunoon Grammar School …: published this on 7:59 pm, Sunday, 31st May, .. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
June 1st, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Now some of the events could possibly be cancelled, like the leavers dance and fiveys, cheers.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Recent developments include the temporary adjournment of the third year pupils from being able to attend Dunoon Grammar for their daily education until the 8th of June and the temporary closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland Branch in Dunoon for a week. I do not understand how the situation has been properly “risk assessed” if they have not closed the whole of Dunoon Grammar school, as a recent former pupil I know the Grammar School is a big communal social area with shared facilities such and canteen and toilets. The idea of closing down one year but not the rest of the school is quite ridicules. The “containment” of the swine flu is definitely not being done to the best of our government’s capability. I believe that teachers as well as all pupils at Dunoon Grammar should be tested and confined to their homes to ensure the full precautions are put in place. The government obviously did not take the correct actions at the start of this outbreak; means need to be put in place now to stop this ordeal.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:35 pm
i live in Dunoon and my sister is friends with the 13 year old girl who is suspected of having the flu. My sister is now ill and possibly has caught it too. i am being kept at home as a precaution but the other comment is correct. in dunoon grammar school we share a large forum and so many people will have came into contact with the girl and with others who might have it. Now that 3rd years are off school for the week there are only 2 years that are going to be at the school, 4th years and 2nd years as the 5th and 6th (including myself) are still off on exam leave until next week. hopefully this will be contained and not passed on to any more people in the dunoon area.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:32 pm
I live in Dunoon and know of two people who have confirmed swine flu. I think the families of these people should be issued with the tablets and everyone who has been in contact with them. Teachers at Dunoon Grammar should also be tested as they may have been in contact with the infected pupils. As the Grammar School shares large facilities such as the Forum(social and lunch area), all pupils should be issued with these tablets as everyone is at risk. More precautions should be taken e.g. the whole school should be closed, not only one year being let off. This reduces the risk of large groups of people socializing, reducing the risk of Swine Flu spreading any further!
June 1st, 2009 at 10:32 pm
As of just now the Police fives are going ahead as planned. More information is to be found on the website if there is an update.
We hope that all these people affected by swineflu will make a full and prompt recovery.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I am a pupil who is still attending Dunoon Grammar School despite the 18 cases of swine flu in Dunoon. I noticed at school today many pupils aren’t attending school because they are sick and the pupil’s who have been ordered to stay in school are still coughing and sneezing regularly as well as experiencing swine flu symptoms. The pupils who currently have swine flu at the moment would have been in the school forum and toilets along with a few hundred pupils who are yet still attending school. The only course of action taken to this was cheap disinfectant wipes for just a few classroom tables. Dunoon is obviously becoming the home of the swine flu and by not shutting down the school it will remain home of the flu. I am not just a pupil who wants to enjoy the sun, i just don’t want to be spending a week lying in my bed wearing 20p masks isolated from civilisation while the news inform people around scotland how one of their top holiday resorts of scotland, has turned into the worst.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:35 pm
personally i think the whole school should close. because ppl with swine flu will have come into contact with other ppl and eventually everyone going to school will get it. i kno that some of my friends have it and i would quite lyk it if more of them didnt tbh. im nt going to skool myself because im not risking getting it and infecting my family. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:15 am
I was hoping to travel to Dunoon to visit my family for the week on Saturday. I’m guessing It would be advisable not to go????
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am
Who knows Louise? The numbers who have caught it in Dunoon aren’t great, and the authorities don’t seem too concerned. And anyone who has caught it aren’t in any danger, so I am not sure whether your health will be at risk at all. Having said that, maybe getting it is a good idea – means you’ll have resistance when it returns in the Autumn eh?
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am
i commented yesterday saying that my little sister was ill and it was confirmed by the doctors last night that she now has swine flu as well. my parents and i have been put on the tamiflu and my little sister has to stay in for 7 days. i dont think they are going to completely close the school until after this week. at least after this week the exams for 5th are over, im not too sure about the 6th year exams though. xxx
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:25 am
I believe by the end of play today, we can see over double the number of confirmed swine flu cases in Dunoon, Further more we will see the UK confirmed number almost quadrupled. Not only should we have looked into shutting the whole of Dunoon Grammar as I mentioned earlier (comment left June 1st 1.37pm) but we should have looked into the more branched reaches that the first few cases would of effected. Obviously it is too late at this point in time; whomever it is in the health sector that makes the decisions has far gone failed Dunoon let alone the rest of the UK. If we had taken the full precautions at the start to Quarantine and confine possible cases and there strings or leads, I am almost certain we would not have seen this dilemma that we are facing today.
Answer to your comment above (Louise – England) is simply, We have over a thousand daily commuters every day going to work as far as England and overseas, I for one am a daily commuter on the Calmac Ferries, In addition to this we have the 5-6 coach loads of tourists coming to Dunoon from England and Wales Etc every day. My conclusion plainly being will another visitor coming to Dunoon really increase the risk or spread anymore? As long as you are visiting friends with no ties into the new found Swine Flu community there is a chance you will be fine.
We should now be calling for the public to act and think responsibly, If they think there is a possibility of themselves of someone having Swine at all they should be getting it checked out immediately and until proven otherwise should then self confine themselves. Parents should postpone their children from attending Dunoon Grammar until the ordeal is over. How the powers that be could not have seen that other pupils and teachers were not going to be directly affected is beyond my thoughts. Possibly some may call it Incompetent?
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:55 am
I think that its too little too late, 4 of my 6 children have been home over the last 3 weeks with colds/coughs and flu like symptoms, and even though we were at the Drs no-one suggested this was swine flu. On reflection I suspect that it has been in the area for several weeks but people just got on with it. only last week at the school 25/5/09 the reception staff were taking dozens of calls from parents reporting children ill with coughs etc.
Also its a farce keeping the Yr3 at home, how does this work? when we got the call we were over the other side shopping and in contact with possibly 1000′s of people, plus my daughter has other siblings. Am I supposed to keep her confined to her room for the week so that if in the event she has flu she doesnt contaminate the rest of us?
Seriously too little too late.
June 2nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Well talk about taking the mickey, Ive just been into town to see dozens of children in everyday clothes wandering around, several of them are yr3 – so the point of keeping them off is? *the sound you can hear is my head hitting the keyboard in frustration*
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Fair point fbm1, I have a son in 3rd year who has been kept at home, however driving through dunoon after work the main street was full of children of all ages (gramar school) what is the point if they are allowed out to wander the streets, the info sheet from the hospital says to keep them at home. When we were sent to hospital on Sunday we got pills for our son but no-one else in the family. Sounds like too little too late right enough
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:32 pm
me again.apparently there are now 29 people confirmed with having swine flu in Dunoon now. that is a big increase from yesterdays 18. xxx
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:26 pm
[...] some of the first-hand comments posted on an article on this site, specifically on the outbreak in Dunoon, it would seem as if proper containment practices have not been followed. One woman reports taking [...]
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
iam currently in 6th year and iam due back at school next tuesday (8th june). i think that the school should have been shut straight away when it was found that molly (3rd year girl) has swine flu. obviously she would have been socialising with her friends in the forum and sharing the facilities, therefore not just 3rd years could have caught it so not only should the 3rd years be off school but so should every other year.
yesterday and today i have noticed that the 3rd years have been treating the week off like a holiday, when it clearly states on the letter for them to be kept at home away from other children. my boyfriend’s little sister had to get the tablets and i read the letter over twice.
i agree with fbm1 and mol, yes it is a little too late. but will anyone e.g. the heath board, get off their butts and close the school? most probably not and the younger people of dunoon will suffer and no doubt spread swine flu to other people.
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:04 am
Again, it comes to the conclusion of too late. Too late to shut the school and far too late to act on any other outbursts.
Would it make sense now, to simply have everyone vaccinated, Tamiflu in a one shot enjection form possibly? Im not a doctor.
The papers today 65 confirmed cases in Scotland, i believe this figure is alot higher. Two scots are critical? When will the government smarten up? Too busy claiming expenses on there fourth homes.
June 3rd, 2009 at 10:12 am
The entire Kyles shinty side have been quarantined – their match was cancelled on Saturday
June 4th, 2009 at 9:53 am
What on earth are people playing at….Swine flu is contagious….its easily passed from one to another especially as most people are ignorant of basic hygiene procedures. You need to wash your hands regularly and properly. Get a hand sanitiser spray or something to disinfect your hands. If youve got a dose of the s**ts clean your toilet properly and wash your hands before doing anything else…and above all, dont circulate your germs by going out in the town because you risk contaminating others. The number of infections are obviously going to mushroom because of lack of quarantine. Why dont parents insist their children stay at home, or in the garden? Too late now isnt it!
June 4th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
its too late. its not the parents fault it is simply the Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon. Her complete incompetence has failed Dunoon let alone the UK.
Innellan School now closed, one child just confirmed 20 minutes ago.
I suggest if you dont want the flu, you now need to stay at home becuase it is obvious swine flu is uncontrolled.
June 4th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Everyone Says..
What a hoot! What’s it got to do with Nicola Sturgeon who already has Scotland far better prepared than England to deal with this infection.
You must think because there are a lot of young people contributing to this topic that they are stupid. They are not.
With strong ties between Dunoon and North America it was always likely that Dunoon was at risk.
June 4th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
At the end of the day, its up to everyone to improve their own personal hygiene as much as they can, to help prevent contracting swine flu or anything else for that matter!
The amount of people that don’t even eg WASH THEIR HANDS after using toilets is disgusting! In my experience its mostly adults! how can they expect their own kids to have good hygiene habits if they dont set good examples!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here in Dunoon or anywhere else, people who have tested positive, are supposed to be in quarantine & taking tamiflu should DO just that, STAY AT HOME! don’t be selfish. DON’T go out mixing with the public.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
David McEwan Hill Says “What’s it got to do with Nicola Sturgeon”
I’ll tell you what. It’s Ms Sturgeon who is demanding that the Grammar School be kept open when common sense says they should have shut it after the first case of an infected pupil was confirmed.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:45 am
Yes the whole thing is a farce – containment my @rs£
June 5th, 2009 at 9:38 am
David McEwan Hill:
“What’s it got to do with Nicola Sturgeon” I would like to open a vote into the amount of people currently wanting to enter the dunoon grammar school, with all pupils attending. Nicola Sturgeon as turned a blind eye to the matter that the pupils are in the most crucial stage of there education- there examinations. They DO NOT need a viral infection on there mind to worry about aswell. Mild symptoms or not, it is never nice to have the flu? Which part of this is so hard to understand. On top of this there have been cases which have been emitted to intensive care, again parents and pupils let alone teachers and the operations staff should not have this lingering over them like a preditor.
Nicola Sturgeon has prepared Scotland for an ant bite. She has dealt with the aftermath of a few cases.
Although this is too late, i am still making a call for the dunoon grammar school to close.
We are now in control of the situation especially parents, Any one leaving comments such as its a “farce” etc. I think you need to mature up, we dont need another flu going about and thats the bottom line.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Everyone seems to be saying the same thing now…why weren’t the schools shut at the start of the outbreak? We might have (slightly) nipped this thing in the bud. As of yesterday Kirn School closed until June 15th. The person that was first infected was confirmed on monday night, the school should have been closed tues morning. It took a further 2 days and a further few outbreaks to make this decision…why, I don’t know. And I must agree with earlier comments….my 2 kids (one on tamiflu due to school infection) are ao far showing no signs of flu, yet I am keeping them in and away from people in order to help this containment work. Why then do you still see groups of secondry school kids and ADULTS who I know are confirmed (they really should no better) out and about treating this like a holiday………we will never rid ourselves of this flu if we can’t follow simple guide lines.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Wakiewakies everyone.
Which is better containment:
(a) keeping a fair chunk of the population, not currently expected to be affected by ‘flu, in a group in school most of the time, or
(b) letting everyone go home where they’ll meet other people on the streets, refuse to stay indoors on a sunny day, etc, and you lose the ability to make statements about the probability of infection of any group smaller than the whole community?
June 5th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Dear Everyone
Yes I am a very immature 50 year old, but lets consider what I said.
A definition of ‘farce’.
“Farce in general is highly tolerant of transgressive behavior, and tends to depict human beings as vain, irrational, venal, infantile, and prone to automatic behavior. In that respect, farce is a natural companion of satire.”
The reaction to the crisis, from the authorities, IS a farce the school should have been closed down immediately.
People who should have known better ( including some parents and health professionals) helped spread the virus as they do not believe it is serious.
When someone eventually dies – as statistically they must – there will be a stampede of excuses. “we didn’t know”… ” A big boy did it and ran away” and so on.
As a certain politician once said
“It’s the same each time with progress. First they ignore you, then they say you’re mad, then dangerous, then there’s a pause and then you can’t find anyone who disagrees with you.”
June 5th, 2009 at 11:30 am
I have yet again been discussing about swine flu today. Scroll up on this page and read from, “Four basic rules will be a real help in self-protection”. I quote “stay away, where you can, from situations like buses, trains and ferries, cinemas,theatres,football matches even restaurants, cafes and pubs. Anywhere with large numbers of people in close proximity is a potential transmission for the virus.”
SO CAN SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY PLEASE EXPLAIN, WHY ON EARTH KEEP THE SCHOOLS OPEN, knowing that there have been confirmed cases? and while we’re on the subject of “large numbers of people in close proximity” was the Benmore week-end trip for all the P7′s in all local schools ALLOWED to go ahead last week-end?
There is now at least one P7 pupil in Dunoon Primary who has tested positive! others are awaiting results, yet the authorities haven’t yet informed the school of this. WHY NOT??? Why too should staff at the closed schools still have to go into work when I quote again from above “protecting staff, users of it’s services and the public is the first priority for the council”
“The Singing Kettle” are due to perform in Dunoon this week-end with 500 children expected to attend. But wait for it, news is, they won’t cancel the show as they are expected to lose £5000!!! Is money more important than the health of people?
The council etc, should practise what they preach and get a grip of the situation, before it gets further out of control.
If you were the person who went out to purchase sun-tan lotion last week, when you should have been in quarantine, SHAME ON YOU!!!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
More people die of normal flu than swine flu, so I don’t see why people are worrying about it
June 5th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Jessie Doyles comment about “more people die from normal flu than swine flu, so I don’t see why people are worrying about it” is exactly the laid back attitude that we dont want. This is a completely new virus in humans! and therefore, how can you say we shouldn’t be worrying? How do you know what the total outcome of this virus will be? No one knows, not even the so called experts!
Its not a question of worrying that normal flu kills more people than swine flu, its about PREVENTION PREVENTION PREVENTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Oh and TIM wakie wakie yersel. Letting the kids go to school comprises option (a) and (b) unless
pupils live in the own house on their own and never go down town.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
From The ONMEDICA website
A nurse in Scotland has caught the A (H1N1) virus from a patient, it has been confirmed.
The 26-year-old is a staff nurse from the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, who cared for a 38-year-old woman currently in intensive care who has underlying health problems.
As a result of this, hospital staff are now being asked to treat anyone with symptoms of diseases like pneumonia as a confirmed case until they are proven negative.
There are now 459 confirmed cases in the UK and latest figures from the World Health Organization show that 69 countries have officially reported 21,971 cases of the influenza infection, including 125 deaths.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
You’ll LOVE this one.
Planning for a Human Flu Pandemic – Guidance to Group Childcare Providers in Scotland
“However, nurseries (and schools) are potentially different from other settings. Children are highly efficient ‘spreaders’ of respiratory infections, both among themselves and to adults in their families. There is some evidence that such infections spread less among children in holiday periods than in term-time. So, closing schools and nurseries for a period might significantly reduce the number of children infected.”
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/07/05121404/1
any one from A&B Education Department care to comment?
June 5th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
This situation is just out of hand! People (especially) parents should be taking more precautions to ensure that them and their children don not get swine flu. Children should not be out in town socializing with their friends when instructed to stay off school and remain in their homes. The number of people in Dunoon, let alone scotland, with Swine Flu is increasing rapidly as many people are not thinking about this situation clearly. Everyone should get the Tamiflu tablets, even if they are not suspected of having Swine Flu, to maybe level of the numbers and possibly even decrease the numbers of possible cases.
I am not happy with the decisions that health board people or who ever is ‘managing’ the situation, as not enough is being done to prevent the spread of swine flu!
All schools in the local area should be closed as well as social areas, including places like restaurants, cinemas, pubs etc. This would probably decrease the chance of swine flu spreading so rapidly, as it is doing so at present!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
This is now a bit repetitive.
We have covered the past points:
-schools should have been closed immediately
-More prevention should have been put in place
-The handling and maintenance of how the situations was dealt with, was unorganized and too laid back
-The situation is much more significant than people are making out
-The upper most care must be taken when swine flu is suspected.
Now, it really is too late to do much else apart from cut of the larger facilities such as the schools and public buildings i.e. swimming pools and libraries.
David, sorry for the misunderstanding.
Its quite fraustrating when you get laid back easy commenters on here. When we see people in intensive care the flu becomes another level.
Detect, prevent and quarantine.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I love the freedom of information Act.
Here what is in the plan “Pandemic Influenza Coordinating Committee
Pandemic response plan -NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde”
August 2008
Scenarios Worst case Excess deaths 14,893
Excess Hospital admissions 17,872
AT the declaration of WHO phase 5, the full PICC should be putting all pandemic preparedness and operational response arrangements on standby for implementation.
For the Highland Region. 1st July 2008
“In Scotland in inter-pandemic years an estimated 1,200 deaths result from seasonal influenza, corresponding to a case-fatality rate of 0.37%. If this rate is applied to an attack rate of 25% the excess mortality in Scotland would be 4,500. The case fatality rate could be as high as 2.5%, corresponding to an excess mortality in Scotland of 30,000. At least one third of the total excess deaths are likely to be of people under 65 years of age, compared with less than 5% in inter-pandemic years. ”
Highland only predict a worse case death rate of 280 per 100,000 people.
However, their school policy is very clear.
2.7 Schools and other closed communities
Influenza transmits readily whenever people are in close contact and is likely to spread particularly rapidly in schools. In 1957, for example, up to 50% of schoolchildren developed influenza, but even those schools which were most severely disrupted had returned to normal 4 weeks after the appearance of the first case. In residential schools, attack rates reached 90%, often affecting the whole school within a fortnight. This will impact on working parents.
Closing schools to pupils might reduce peak impact and clinical cases by 10%. However, closing schools has a significant impact on business continuity and maintenance of essential services, particularly health care, due to parent workers needing to stay at home for childcare. The same would apply to early years/childcare settings where groups of children mix.
The Scottish Government will advise whether or not to close schools based on an assessment of the character and impact of the pandemic. The trigger for local decisions by SCG’s would be confirmation of initial cases in the area. The SCG will advise the local authority who will take the final decision to close schools.
This initial advice is likely to be to close for a short time (2-3 weeks) and then review the position.
So where do you stand in the ranking?
Council workers are priority 1 whereas Joe Public is priority 7 unless pregnant, over 65, under 3, a member of emergency services or involved in dishing out pharmaceuticals
June 5th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I really think we are missing the point here.. Its not very pro active- This is the fault of the goverment specifically the ministry of health (nicola Sturgeon) And nothing will change that because it is a fact.
Lets start pushing forward..
June 5th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Hi all, i was on the Rangers bus that left from here for Dundee, i have no doubt thats where the swine flu outbreak has come from, but how were we to know? when we came back from Dundee we were all out together celebrating our title success and mixing with other rangers fans. swine flu has now been spread throughout the town, but what has been done about it?
June 5th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Hi there, MacDougall here. I was also on the bus that went to Dundee for the Rangers game. I tested positive along with my brother, However i seem to have been quite lucky as my swine flu symptoms were quite mild. I had a temperature, cough, shakes, sweating and a unbearable itch in my lower scrotum. Anyone with these symptoms should contact nhs 24.
Be safe people.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Dunoon Grammar has at last been closed!!
June 6th, 2009 at 11:07 am
re: MacDougall brothers
yes i had all of these symptoms especially the unbearable itch but i have had that for years!!!
i am still not well, think i should seek more medical attention?
June 6th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
so should the DGS german exchange go ahead….and risk infecting another community week after next?
June 6th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
and even though the swimming club has cancelled, should the councils swimming pool be left open with swimming lessons as normal. seems to me that like the queens hall, the council wont close it because of the loss of revenue.
Maybe the new view on swine flu is you’re ok if you havent got it…… until you do get it, and only then can you get tested!!! What a mess
June 6th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Yes. The German Exchange Should Go Ahead.
June 6th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Nicola Sturgeon has made arrangements to acquire enough anti-flu injections for the whole population.
It is the Health Board that makes local decisions about how this outbreak is to be dealt with, not the Government.
The Public Health Minister is Shona Robison MSP whose department supervises the operation of Health Boards.
“Everyman” should find out what he he is talking about before spouting rubbish.
June 8th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Well at the end of the day, my whole family is on tamiflu. I work in two jobs one in paisley and one in Dunoon working with the public every day. I am almost certain i have had swine flu in the past as i have not contracted it this time around.
“spouting rubbish” meaning what exactly? Does this include most of the 48 comments above?
I find this site extremely resourceful as the papers really do not give specific local coverage.
I still remain with the same point i made at the start of the debate/forum (im not sure what we are calling this) Close the local facilities and test the suspected and expected. We are starting to see swine flu effecting our economy- this mainly being the tourism industry. We need to let them know it is safe not give the the guarentee a bad cold, the shakes and an itchy scrotum.
June 8th, 2009 at 11:37 am
yes i think the german exchange should go ahead! all of the participants are going to be off school next week and are told to stay in the house for 5 days to prevent them getting the virus and putting each other at risk. as this is the case i do not see why the german exchange should not go ahead. Dunoon grammar has only been closed for a week. apparently now there are over 90 confirmed cases of swine flu in Dunoon. Dunoon hospital are working very hard to test everyone that goes to the hospital and distribute the tamiflu. There are many people going to the hospital now to get tested and there are so many the hospital have had to provide portacabins for them to sit in while waiting to be seen as there is no more room in the hospital waiting rooms. I think the spread of the swine flu in Dunoon has slowed down quite a lot now and hopefully it will continue to do so. x
June 9th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
We have a child also due to go on the German Exchange & will be disappointed for them if its cancelled. But their health comes first. It would be wonderful if what Lauren McK says about the kids staying in the house for 5days to prevent contamination was true! But hello, I’ve lost count of the number of kids that I know that are also due to go to Germany and yet they’re out mixing with their peers!!!!!!!!!!
June 10th, 2009 at 11:56 am
This Swine Flu apparently all started with the “Rangers Bus”. A man who was either a probable or confirmed case was advised not to go to, but he did. He is the cause of all this. If he stayed at home then this Swine Flu probably wouldnt be as bad!!!!!
Dunoon Grammar School should have closed as soon as they found out that Molly (third year pupil) was confirmed with the virus as we all share the Forum, toilets, table, chairs…..
June 24th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
RE: MELISSA LAUDER
Are you having a laugh? everyone who was on our bus was tested after the swine flu outbreak, so get your facts right before start talking rubbish!!!
October 26th, 2009 at 12:19 am
“Rangers Bus” Im allowed to have my own opinion here ok.
All i said was, that the man who was meant to have had it should have stayed at home. Big deal. Whats your problem anyway? And i will not get my “facts straight!”