Swine flu victims urged to stay at home

STAY at home if you think you have swine flu. That is the message from the Hertfordshire NHS which, like the rest of the country, is attempting to deal with the escalating number of people suffering from the disease. Jane Halpin, director of public health

STAY at home if you think you have swine flu.

That is the message from the Hertfordshire NHS which, like the rest of the country, is attempting to deal with the escalating number of people suffering from the disease.

Jane Halpin, director of public health at NHS West Hertfordshire and NHS East and North Hertfordshire said: "People who do develop symptoms such as a sudden fever, cough, a headache, sore throat, tiredness, aching muscles, sneezing, runny nose or loss of appetite may have swine flu.

"The best thing you can do is stay at home, rest, drink plenty of fluids and take over-the-counter flu remedies such as paracetamol to help relieve the symptoms," she said.

The exact number of residents in Hertfordshire suffering from swine flu is unknown, but an NHS spokesman sad that for the majority of people, symptoms are mild and they are recovering within days.

If you have symptoms, you can check online with the NHS Direct symptom checker. Visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.