Swine flu control - HSE should take a bow

The World Health Organisation has lashed out at the irresponsibility of those who have been trying to depict the warnings of a swine flu pandemic as a false alarm designed to help the pharmaceutical industry. There is little doubt that industry did benefit financially from the sale of vaccines and anti-viral drugs, but ultimately society has been the main beneficiary.

Younger people who are not old enough to remember the influenza pandemics of the 1950s and 1960s probably do not appreciate the carnage that could have been caused by a swine flu pandemic, if it had been allowed to mutate into a more lethal form.

During the 20th century, there were a number of serious pandemics. They undoubtedly facilitated by the revolutionary changes in the speed of travel.

The Spanish flu in 1918 killed over 50 million people, which was more than were killed in all of the First World War. Older people will remember the Asian flu pandemic of 1957 and the Hong Kong flu of 1968.

People infected during those pandemics would have developed a certain degree of immunity. But people born since then would be particularly vulnerable to another pandemic.

The swine flu spread with amazing rapidity, but it was effectively controlled in that it did not mutate into a particularly lethal strain. It would seem that the preemptive measures taken were a distinct success.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) and its employees deserve warm commendation for a job very well done. On this occasion and they should take a bow.