Health plan

The British government said it is not sitting idly by. To avoid panic and to urge the public to carry on with their daily lives, Britain has insisted that it has been preparing for a flu pandemic for five years.

The government said it has a massive stockpile of antiviral drugs available for half of its citizens.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday told lawmakers that more antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, were being ordered to treat up to 80 percent of the British population.

In addition, Johnson said the government has ordered 60 million surgical and respiratory face masks for health workers. The specialist masks are beneficial if used properly, changed frequently and disposed of correctly, Johnson said.

However, he dismissed the general public's use of masks.

"There is no convincing scientific evidence to show the effectiveness of wearing a mask," Johnson said.

Instead, government health advice to those showing symptoms of swine flu is to use a tissue and to dispose of it before then washing their hands, preferably with anti-bacterial soap.

Johnson said the best line of defense was to keep people informed about health issues such as hygiene.

Preparing for a pandemic

British health officials said the government was planning for all eventualities and needs to understand more about the virus, both in the way it was transmitted and how long it needed to take hold.

Johnson, speaking to lawmakers Wednesday evening, reiterated that the country was "well placed to deal with this infection."

When Britain was hit by a similar medical emergency in 1968, Johnson said, there was no national plan in place but the government has since learned from history.

"We can reduce the impact seen in pandemics of the last century," Johnson said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)