If a player had it wouldn't the employers be liable for duty of care for other employee's and public? so I could see a complete lock down happening.

It's already whizzing around the country. This area seems to have been largely untouched until recently. But it only lasts about a week, the vulnerable people being those with underlying lung conditions and also young children (the elderly are not vulnerable because it appears to have similar features to the Asian flu of the 1950s and many elderly people caught that so have some immunity). It's no worse or better than regular flu, which is passed around in exactly the same way as swine flu - through sneezes and coughs and people's lack of hygiene.


Not laughing. The mutation is a feature of viruses which has everyone nervous but there are no signs as yet and until or unless there are such signs then I say it's a load of hysterical hype over nothing very much. Had it been killing hundreds as it went through in some kind of plague like fashion then I'd be the first one to give up work and stay indoors! No sign of that though. Just a nasty virus for a week. So, what's new?

Excuse me! but I'm quoting from a doctor on Radio 2 on Friday luv.
As an employer if you are proven to have ignored the well being of employee's and the public you are leaving yourself wide open.

Strange as when I myself and others I know where diagnosed we were all told that we were the only ones who had to take any sort of quarantine action and that work places - other than obviously accepting sickness until fit to return - didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary.

I know a lot of places have started providing hand gels and promoting the "catch it, kill it, bin it" and vigilance but they certainly don't have to go into lock down just because someone with swine flu has been in.

For legal action you mean? Surprise, surprise! We're more into litigation than the States these days. However, duty of care extends only to having a policy and ensuring staff have an opportunity to clean their hands. Beyond that, it's up to individual members of staff to look after themselves. My workplace has alcohol handwash dotted all over the place and has emailed their policy - namely, if you've got it stay off or you'll be sent home - to all staff members. That's their duty of care done and dusted.

The only reason there is anyone commenting on swine flu anywhere at all is because the WHO gave it pandemic status.

Hey hey don't you two be jumping down my throat, I'm only relaying what was being said by some doctor on the bloody radio.

But as you said your work has put into place a procedure that shows duty of care. What happens if say half of the team get diagnosed with it? would the team be forced to play or would it be a duty of care to call the game off so as to not cross infect the oposing team etc?

You are Brian Noble and I claim my fiver.

TOTALLY agree with you there.

Cheeky b@stard

I reckon this whole swine flu thing could be a good card to play if we lose any more players to injury. Get the season postponed until everyone is fit again.

Im of the same suspicion as you.

I think its more of a psychological thing. If another club knows that Flu is rife in the opposition team camp, they know it will affect players performances, as the squad wont be able to perform anywhere near 100%.
As a result the club states its mumps which wont affect most players due to vaccinations, and therefore allows the club to give the impression that only one individual isnt feeling well.

I expect the flu epidemic to play havoc with team performances in the next couple of months. It could make the challenge cup and playoffs a complete lottery.

For all you pies know, Wigans performance against Leeds may have been helped by a number of the Leeds players bieng under the weather so to speak.

Get out of it........they were at the peak of their powers!

Saying that if we preform poorly on Friday it'll be because you vermin have infected us with Swine flu

How low can you get!