Tamiflu is not actually a flu vaccine

The World Health Organisation that recently announced that the swine influenza virus outbreak should now be treated as a full blown global pandemic is distributing Tamiflu to different parts of the world. The Tamiflu which was given to them as a donation from the pharmaceutical company Roche is earmarked for poorer countries and remote parts of the world where access to good medical care and medicine is not easily available. Roche have also given the World Health Organisation a large amount of lower dose Tamiflu specifically for use by children.

Dr. Margaret Chan who is the Director General of the World Health Organisation said over 5.5 million courses of the Tamiflu drug were to be distributed. Tamiflu has always been recommended by the World Health Organisation especially as a defence against avian influenza which has struck in many Asian countries.

Tamiflu is not actually a flu vaccine and won’t prevent you from getting the swine or bird flu in the first place but it will protect you from the dangerous symptoms that they can produce. In extreme cases influenza can kill and use of Tamiflu can make the difference between life and death. It is essential that Tamiflu is administered within the first 48 hours of contracting swine or bird flu for it to be effective and ideally it should be administered within the first 24 hours for best results.

In the United Kingdom the government has stockpiled huge amounts of Tamiflu meaning that there is enough for around 50 percent of the population, however some experts believe that if an extremely contagious version of influenza was to strike the nation the drug would have to be rationed to be given to doctors and nurses and other people performing essential medical services.

If you want to purchase your own supply of Tamiflu make sure that it comes from a licenced UK pharmacy and that you are not buying counterfeit versions of it.