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Tight security for Tamiflu supplies as first centre opens
Anna Davies, Mark Prigg and Ellen Widdup20.07.09
Health Secretary Andy Burnham visited London's first Tamiflu distribution centre today as plans were drawn up to protect supplies of the swine flu drug with a ring of steel.
NHS security guards were patrolling the Tower Hamlets centre which is so well protected that health bosses are refusing to say exactly where it is.
Only people who have been diagnosed with the virus are being given the location to avoid it being overrun by the “worried well”. Other centres which will be set up across London will be protected to prevent thefts of the drug and ensure staff are not attacked by panicking patients.
Every primary care trust in London must set up antiviral distribution centres by the end of the week but Tower Hamlets opened its one early because of the demand for medication. It is the worst hit area in the country. Mr Burnham visited the centre in Mile End and labelled it a “model of good practice”. He washed his hands — one of the ways to prevent the H1N1 strain from spreading.
A spokesman for NHS Tower Hamlets said: “We are not giving out the address at the moment. We don't want lots of the worried well flocking there. There is also a view that if you name the centre some people might go there to get Tamiflu without being assessed first.” The centre is designed for “flu friends” who are picking up medication for people suffering from swine flu.
The spokesman added: “The security guards are from a team within the health service. They are very discreet. More can be drawn in if necessary.”
Mr Burnham said Tower Hamlets may have such high numbers of the virus because of overcrowding in houses, a younger population, and more inter-generational mixing within some parts of the Asian community.
But he added the NHS trust was “coping magnificently” and setting an “excellent example”. So far 29 British people suffering from swine flu have died since the outbreak began and 10 of those were in London.
Health bosses across London worked through the weekend to decide on the location of more than 100 secure distribution points for the drug. They will be set up in pharmacies and clinics across the capital.
A national pandemic flu service will be launched on Thursday. Patients will be able to use a phone line or go online to get authorisation for Tamiflu before going to a distribution centre.
The move comes after the NHS was accused of issuing conflicting advice on the dangers the flu poses to pregnant women. The National Childbirth Trust said women should delay getting pregnant, while the Royal College of Midwives said pregnant women should simply avoid crowds and unnecessary travel.
Reader views (30)
Ode to Tamiflu by Harry Houseago
Lying at home in my bed
When I should be having maths instead
But they've closed up my school
'Cos some children were sneezing
And they got us believing
That we'll all be ill and get the swine flu
The doctors gave us some pills
Saying "This is so you won't get ill"
So stay at home
Study on your own
Oh Tamiflu, what did you do?
I was fine before you came along
And now I've got a pain in my head
So I think I'd better stay in bed
I get to watch the TV
And no one bothers me
I fall asleep and wake up feeling queasy
And ev'rything's reeling,
It's not very pretty
I'll have to go ... to the loo again
I remember they gave us pills
Saying "This is so you won't get ill"
But now I know
This is worse than any cold
Oh Tamiflu, it's down to you
That I'm feeling slightly nauseous
And now I've got a pain in my head
So I think I'd better stay in bed.
- Darren, London, UK
Well honestly how much Tamiflu has Mr Brown and his family got stocked away in their bathroom cupboard? I am sure he will be fine, after all we wouldn't know how we could manage without him could we!?
- Martha, London
Better keep Boris away from these supplies!!
Given the way he sold the supplies meant for 999 services!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
all i know is that the 11 people at work who have so far been diagnosed with swineflu...none of them smoke!! None of us 'unhealthy' smokers have had so much as a sniffle! Be such a dichotmy if it is proven that nicotine kills the virus!!!
- Gary, amersham
The big Crash Gordon state in control of anything?! I don't think so.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
The drug does nothing to stop or even cure Swine flu. The drug only assists in recovery. So what is the point? I think those people who are smart enough not to accept everything at face value should look at who has a vested in promoting this drug into the main stream. I give you one name. Donald Rumsfeld, yes remember him, he will be making millions of dollars as he has large percentage of shares in Tamiflu drug. I rest my case. Lets all hope we can recover without assisting these warmongering scum to get even richer on the backs of us.
- Shehzad, London, UK
Tamiflu 
robably a placebo; if your gonna get it your gonna get it,and then its up to the individuals system to cope with it. This country delights in hysteria whether its mad cow disease, salmonella from eggs(remember that?) mass terrorism ,cosmic immplosion it never ends.Its a bad strain of flu and it will kill some unfortunately.A concerted effort by the authorities to plan and execute treatment without all the dramatic headlines would help.Lets face it the UK has dealt with far worse.
- Tony ,Essex, Harlow,UK
Its not the worried well who will go down and steal tamiflu, come on be honest its "da ganstas" and morally bankrupt types who will steal it purely to make a quick&easy buck.
The "worried well" are too law-abiding(for their own good much of the time)to go breaking the law.
- Russell, London
How many people panicking and rushing to get unecessary Tamilfu will get run over and killed on the way ?
Frankly, there are far worse things to worry about than a spot of flu which has a lower mortality rate than 'traditional flu'.
Sure, it could mutate and become more deadly. Then again an asteroid could smash into the planet and destroy all life tomorrow.
- Jason Bloomberg, Luton, UK
Arghh, Arghh, we are all going to die (again). I thought everyone was going to die of AIDS, then Bird Flu. All whilst drowning in the rising sea levels. Get a grip. There again it wasn't so long ago that "the mob" was attacking a paediatrician because of a lack of understanding of what the word meant. Doesn't help with the media stirring it all up - lets have more comparisons with things like the Spanish Flu, at least I can laugh my way to my early grave.
- Mike, Cambridge
Quite clearly, Tamiflu should ONLY be available to people who have paid into the British NHS. All others should take their chances.
- Vince, London, West London
What's with the "Tamiflu Distribution Centre". Why is Tamiflu not being distributed to chemists so that when a prescription is written, the patient can go or send someone to the nearest chemist and receive the drug. Why do they think the centre is going to be overrun by the "worried well". If the government persists in this completely over the top hysteria, they will be making people worried. Never mind about Keep Calm and Carry On, they are fostering a Panic and Riot mentality.
- Patricia, LONDON
How before the Conmen and Scam Artists are flogging fake Tamiflu and other 'Anti-flu Drugs' either on he Internet, or door to door. Of course there will be he desparate, the panicked, the daft and the greedy who will 'buy into' this.
"A 'Business Opportunity' - Tamiflu Tablets, a real money earner. Just send us your £500-00 and we will send you your Tamiflu Businessmans Kit!"
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK
Oops, running short are we?!
- Steve, Brentford
If you become preoccupied with swine flu, you are playing into the Government's hands. It is a distraction from their cock-ups in Afghanistan and the City. They don't want you to talk about those two disaster areas. Support our Armed Forces first!!
- Colin Macpherson, Gramat France
Thanks for the warning about the impending "cold and flu remedy wars", I have now put my Lemsips under lock and key and am prepared for suspicous coughs and sniffles.
- Bob H, Streatham
So we do know that the BBC holds thousands of units of Tamiflu - for senior staff no doubt as they are an essential service!!
- Gordonbay, London and Cape Town
Scaremongering at its best!!!
- London Gal, London
One can't help thinking the conspiratorists might have something here......
- Wallytrader, London
If 40,000 peeps in the Republic of Morecambe need Tamiflu they will all have to go to Lancaster (5 miles) to collect it.
Hold on a minute! They have to remain indoors if they contract Swine Flu.
SO EXACTLY WHO IS GOING TO COLLECT THE TAMIFLU FOR THE 40,000 DYING PEEPS?
WE SHALL ALL BE BROWN BREAD BEFORE THE NHS GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK
A GP from the East End I talked to said Tamiflu was not recommended - often has side-effects (vomiting in particular) and may reduce the length of flu illness by perhaps 1 day.
Seems Tamiflu's not worth protecting.
- Nick, London
Troops returning from the middle east will be the ideal security, after all they are trained in total conflict management of swine flew locations
- William, Hay~Heath UK
Please don’t get excited just yet; the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; might deem Swine Flu Drugs as uneconomical and not good value for money, as it is unproved and untested, and doesn’t prolong the quality of life for those with any kind of Flu etc.
- Mickinlondon, london.
Any person would think from this article that Tamiflu is like gold and also THE Miracle Cure. In fact, Tamiflu is NOT an antidote to H151N ("swine" flu). All it will do is alleviate some of the symptoms and reduce the time suffered by 10-15 hours if that.
Tamiflu is NOT a vaccine, it is an anti-biotic for a small range of flu viruses and it has not even been tested for use in a pandemic.
I get the feeling that the medical industry is trying to 'shift' a product before its expiry date. From the Cochrane Library:
"Influenza is an acute infection of the airways and the whole body, caused by a virus
Symptoms include fever, headache and cough. Serious complications such as pneumonia can also occur. This review of trials found that neuraminidase inhibitors (Nls) such as zanamivir and oseltamivir are effective in preventing ("prophylaxis") and treating ("treatment") the symptoms and complications of influenza but do not prevent infection or interrupt voidance of viruses from the nose. Oseltamivir causes nausea, vomiting and retching while zanamivir causes diarrhoea. There is no evidence that NIs may be effective against bird flu. Because of their performance, NI should not be used on their own, but alongside barrier (masks, gloves), personal hygiene and quarantine measures."
- James, Spain
"So making sure the public can not get any before the grasping civil servants sort themseles out."
Sorry, are you saying the NHS shouldn't protect its facilities and drug supplies as a matter of course? I should have thought that was the responsible thing to do, but there you go. Obviously it's better to leave the stuff lying around with the door open, eh?
- Tom, London, UK
Oh how ridiculous, it's not even like they're likely to work, either!
- Marianne, SW France/London
So making sure the public can not get any before the grasping civil servants sort themseles out. Sure all MP's will recieve a supply before Joe Public gets a prescription, symptoms or not.
- Mark, London
When you've got corrupt and immoral GPs like the ones in Tower Hamlets the Tamiflu will get out anyway and no guards can keep it safe.
- Alan Grieves, Tower Hamlets, London
It is so well protected that nobody will know where it is because it probably doesn't work.
- Bj, London
It seems to me that the Government has gone mad. The labour government are terrorising the population. Bullets are outdated so the new control is viral warfare.
- Jane, London
