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Masks for Suspect Bird Flu Patients

Posted on: Sunday, 9 October 2005, 15:00 CDT

By HAYMAN, Kamala

GPs should be on the lookout for bird flu now and should ask suspect patients to wear a mask and keep a distance of at least a metre, says newly published Health Ministry advice.

The ministry is now offering a range of posters and leaflets to medical practices around the country with advice on how to recognise and deal with bird flu, and urging all practices to have plans for handling a pandemic.

The lethal virus has killed more than 60 people in Asia and could be carried by travellers to New Zealand.

The current strain cannot be readily passed from one person to another.

However, health authorities fear a mutation in the virus could see a more infectious strain emerging, potentially sparking a global pandemic.

Detailed planning for such a pandemic is under way across the world.

This week, the ministry issued new advice to GPs, calling on practices to be vigilant for the possibility of severe or emerging respiratory disease in people who had recently travelled overseas.

Where bird flu was suspected, the doctor should ask the patient and their support people to wear a surgical mask and to keep "at least one metre separation" during the consultation.

The importance of "rigorous, frequent hand-washing" was also stressed.

Posters for use in patient waiting- rooms tells those recently returned from overseas and suffering a fever or bad cough to tell receptionists, and ask to be seated away from other people while waiting to see a doctor.

The ministry, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the College of Practice Nurses have also jointly issued advice urging GPs to develop pandemic plans that involve their whole team, including cleaners.

"Because there is a current threat, you are urged to consider now how you can apply this information in your practice."

It warns the first suspicion of influenza in the community could come through a phone call.

"Consider how you will deal with this."

It said the efforts of those in primary practice to recognise and respond to respiratory disease in people who have travelled overseas was "an essential part in the prevention of a major outbreak in New Zealand".

It said all practice staff should have winter flu jabs to maintain their general health.

College of GPs president Jonathan Fox said it was not likely that a bird flu victim would arrive in New Zealand.

"But we have to start thinking about it and be prepared.

"The college is going directly to GPs to say `you need to think about what you're going to do if life as you know it, is not quite the same'," said Fox.

Meanwhile, the country's 21 district health boards have finished first drafts of their detailed pandemic plans.

The Health Ministry is expected to release details in coming weeks.

Source: Press, The; Christchurch, New Zealand

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