My mums has been in direct contact with 3 people with swine flu, shes a doctors receptionost, they have told her to come into work ...

[Disenchanted3]

shes been looking after my sis who has it, and been here with me and DS.

She rang her manager at the surgery and she said 'oh its fine just come in'

Surely thats not right?!?

Advice seems to be no exclusion unless you exhibit symptoms - have you been tested ?

It's so widespread now it's unlikely to make a difference

if everyone who had been into contact stayed off work the economy would collapse

But if she's a doctor's receptionist then I presume she's coming into contact with vulnerable people?

However she isn't showing symptoms. But if I were her, I would be washing my hands on a regular basis and trying not to come into physical contact with any of the patients. First sign of a runny nose and she should stay off.

no not tested, just prescribed tamiflu aftyer relaying symptoms to GP on phone.

I just thought as she worked at a GPs coming in contact with people who have underlying problems, heart problems etc... that could be risky?

Dh is a dr and has been in contact with people with swine flu ... he's at work.

ets, I just rang gave him symptoms and we both got presribed it?!

I don't know.

'contact' is defined as being within one metre of a person for longer than one hour.

As a receptionist she is unlikely to be in that close contact with patient's and as long as she is assymptommatic (not the end of the world if she sneezes as long as she doesn't sneeze on anyone) and washes her hands she is no more a risk to anyone than anyone else.

Like hannahsaunt's husband, I'm in much closer contact with both people with swine flu and people with other illness every day - we can only be careful, there would be noone at the surgery to see patients if every well contact stayed at home.