If you are in England, you can get antivirals to treat swine flu from a local collection point without seeing your GP. If you are in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, contact your GP or specific helpline. Reduce your risk of catching swine flu by following good hand hygiene – CATCH IT, BIN IT, KILL IT. Antiviral drugs - Tamiflu and Relenza
Swine flu is being treated with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza. Antiviral drugs work by preventing the flu virus from reproducing - to be effective you need to take them within 48 hours of the symptoms beginning. This can reduce the risk of complications and possibly shorten the illness by a day.
If the National Pandemic Flu Service or your GP confirm you have swine flu, you will be told where your nearest antiviral collection point is so your 'flu friend' - a friend or relative who does not have swine flu - can pick up antiviral drugs for you.
Adverse reactions to Tamiflu
In some cases, antiviral medicine can cause side effects, such as:
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- stomach ache
- headache
Even if you do feel these symptoms it is important that those prescribed antiviral medicine complete the course, even if symptoms of swine flu clear and you start to feel better quickly.
Should young children be treated with Tamiflu?
The review that said children should not be treated with Tamiflu was based on seasonal flu and not swine flu.
The authors admitted that it is uncertain how much the findings of that review apply to swine flu. After all, swine flu behaves differently to seasonal flu, and past pandemics have hit younger people hardest.
All people suffering from swine flu, including young children, will continue to be offered antivirals.
