04 September 2009

• There areprayersbelow for people who are ill or anxious about this flu.

• Further to their advice earlier in the year, the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorkhave written again to all diocesan bishops recommending that the normal administration of Holy Communion should resume. You canread their latest letter here.

2. The best way to stop the spread of any infection is through good personal hygiene.

• Wash your handsthoroughly with soap and hot water regularly, or when available use antibacterial alcohol gel. Wash regularly, especially when entering or leaving a building, and at regular intervals, around every 90 minutes.

• Coughs and sneezes spread infection rapidly. It is essential that youcover your mouthif you cough or sneeze. Make sure that tissues are available, as well as bins for the safe disposal of used tissues.

• If you have flu symptoms, stay at home. Make sure someone knows where you are.
  See:DirectGov: Swine flu - everything you need to know
  and:NHS:  Important information about swine flu

• If you arenotshowing symptoms but someone in your household is, you do not need to stay at home.You are not infectious if you are not showing symptoms. However, if you are a priest or other church worker, you may need to consider arrangements for covering your duties if you catch the virus from your family.  

• See ourflu pandemic plandocument.There is also an example,St Agatha-in-the-Mud, to help you get started.

• The Government is recommending that people identify ‘flu friends’ to help in the event of the pandemic worsening.  Flu friends are people who will collect medicines, food and other supplies for you if you get swine flu, so that you don’t have to leave home. Very often it will be a good idea not to choose people you have a lot of close contact with (e.g. other members of a Home Group) as you may all succumb at the same time.

• You can find out more about flu friends in theNHS documents:Flu Friend andPrepare your homefor a flu pandemic.

• There will be some vulnerable people in our communities who do not have people they can call on to help in this way. This is where the church can help by setting up a flu friend scheme. It does not need to be complicated – and may simply involve building on a network you already have in place, such as street wardens or good neighbours scheme.

• We recommend you look atthis website for an example of good practice. 

Thank you to all those who have worked hard to respond to the pandemic in their local communities.