PM tells officials to better controlling the flu

[Admin]

PM tells officials to better controlling the flu
Writer: Bangkok Post.com
Published: 30/07/2009 at 04:56 PM Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has instructed health officials to do a better job of controlling the H1N1 flu pandemic and urged all government agencies to help stop the spread of the virus by educating the people.

"The prime minister placed stress building a correct understanding of the flu among the public because Thais do not have enough knowledge about the H1N1 virus," health permanent secretary Prat Boonyawongvirote said on Thursday.

Dr Prat said Mr Abhisit had given orders that all patients have accesss to oseltamivir and to the fastest medical support.

He also advised that people take good care of themselves and stay home if they are sick, he said.

Meanwhile, the Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital reported that a 16-year-old flu patient who was two months pregnant had miscarried.

Deputy director Dr Weerasak Kiatpadungkul said the teenager has pneumonia from the flu, could not breath unaided and was on respiratory life support. In such circumstances a miscarriage was not abnormal, he said.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people that alcohol-based hand gel used to kill germs remains inflammable until it dries.

Hand gel is 70% alcohol, a highly inflammable substance, FDA secretary-general Dr Pipat Yingseree said.
People who apply it should not light cigarettes or get close to flames or hot surfaces until they are absolutely certain it has dried.

The alcohol in a normal hand-gel wash would take about 30 seconds to evaporate out, he said.

Dr Pipat said the best way to clean the hands of germs was to wash them thoroughly with soap and clean water.

[nookiebear]

Do you honestly think it is possible to educate the 'average' Thai anything about anything let alone this swine flu.

[isanbirder]

This morning, in Krasang, people from the amphur office (presumably) were handing out free facemasks.  I refused.  Why?  At both my hospital (Buriram Private) and a hospital in Bangkok (a friend reported this), most of the hospital staff did not wear masks... and they ought to know what they are doing if anyone does (does anyone?).  In addition, a Bangkok doctor advised my friend not to wear a mask unless he changed it every day;  otherwise it just acts as a germ accumulator.  My own feeling is that the flu has already spread so far that there is no way of stopping it;  one simply hopes to get a mild version which will confer some immunity if a worse mutant occurs later.  The death toll means very little;  most if not all the victims are either small children or already ill in some way, and there is no comparison with the death toll of ordinary flu.