Government proposals conflict

The new draft plan published jointly by the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office does indeed strive to set out a framework for tackling pandemic flu at the local level.1 2 The government advises: “Those who believe they are ill will be asked to stay home in voluntary isolation. Voluntary home isolation may be recommended for close contacts at early stages to contain/slow the spread” (section 3.2, p 35). Yet at the same time, to ensure rapid access to antiviral medicines, it proposes: “In England, plans should assume that a friend or relative will be available to collect the patient's antiviral treatment course from the designated distribution point on production of proof of identity and authorisation from the coordination centre” (section 9.9, p 90).

Both proposals are sensible, but they conflict: the friends and relatives who go out to collect the antiviral medicines will be the same people who should remain in voluntary isolation because of their close contact with those with possible flu. There are no easy solutions: voluntary isolation is appropriate, yet so is collecting medicine, as well as other activities in support of those who are ill.