Delaware Valley ready with antiviral meds
As the spread of the swine flu accelerates, state health officials say the Delaware Valley has an adequate stockpile of the drug used to treat influenza.
As the spread of the swine flu accelerates, state health officials say the Delaware Valley has an adequate stockpile of the drug used to treat influenza.
The antiviral drug Tamiflu is not a cure but can shorten the length of a flu illness and lessen the symptoms.
Infectious disease expert Marla Gold is Dean of Drexel University’s School of Public Health.
Gold: At least in this country because the cases have been milder and the reporting in the media have been very good about it, we don’t expect to see any panic or medications going off the shelves. There’s no reason for it.
Health officials are only recommending Tamiflu for people who already have swine flu, not for those who want to prevent it.
The federal government has released extra doses of the medication.
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware officials say they are expecting thousands of additional doses to arrive in the next week.
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