To:	Consultants in Communicable Disease Primary Care Trusts - Directors of Public Health Primary Care Trusts - Medical Directors Public Health Link
Cc (Groups):	Chairman - Professional Executive Committee of PCT NHS Trust Chief Executives NHS Trusts - Medical Directors (England) NHST/FT/001 - NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTS (ENGLAND) - CHIEF EXECUTIVE NHST/FT/007 - NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTS (ENGLAND) - MEDICAL DIRECTOR PCT Chief Executives SHA Chief Executives Strategic Health Authorities (England) - Directors of Public Health Territorial CMOs
Fax To:
From:	Dr David Salisbury - Immunisation and communicable disease team - Department of Health
Date:	16 March 2006
Reference	CEM/CMO/2006/5
Category:	NON-URGENT (cascade within 3 days)
Title:	INFLUENZA SEASON 2005/06 – USE OF ANTIVIRALS

Broadcast Content:

All GENERAL PRACTITIONERS - please ensure this message is seen by all practice nurses and non-principals working in your practice
- Deputising services
- Project manager/Nurse lead in Walk in Centres
- Lead nurses in PCTs
- Leads at nurse-led PMS Pilots
- PCT Pharmaceutical Advisers to forward to community pharmacists
- Accident & Emergency Departments

To: Medical Directors of NHS Trusts to forward to:
- all relevant hospital doctors

To: CCDCs

Cc:
- Regional Directors of Public Health
- Directors of Public Health of Strategic Health Authorities
- UK CMOs
- Chairmen of Professional Executive Committee

Dear Colleague

Influenza Season 2005/06 – Use of Antivirals

The most recent surveillance data available to us indicates that the overall rate of influenza reports has now fallen below the threshold at which the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on the use of antiviral drugs is triggered.

The use of antiviral drugs for the prevention or treatment of influenza is no longer indicated.


1. Further information

a) For more detailed information on the NICE guidance refer to the NICE web-site (http://www.nice.org.uk).

b) Influenza activity in England and Wales

Information on the GP consultation rates for influenza/influenza-like illness is collected by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). Weekly updates on the consultation rates are published on the RCGP web-site (http:www.rcgp.org.uk/bru/tabular-data.asp) weekly reports from the Health Protection Agency on current influenza activity can be found on the Health Protection Agency Website:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/influenza/seasonal/default.htm)

Yours Sincerely


Dr D M SALISBURY CB FRCP FRCPCH FFPHM
Director of Immunisation Policy, Monitoring and Surveillance

This document has been authorised by the Department of Health: Gateway reference no: 6312