Behind the Headlines
Swine flu
08 May 2012
Scientists have found that taking zinc tablets “may shorten the duration of a cold”, The Independent reported today.
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11 Jul 2011
“Scientists have hailed a breakthrough in the search for a universal flu vaccine”, The Daily Telegraph has reported. The newspaper says that such a vaccine would save lives and money by eliminating the need for the annual jab...
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10 Mar 2011
Governments should start vaccinations against a lethal strain of the influenza virus circulating in birds and pigs, The Independent has reported. The news is based on an article written by US vaccine researchers...
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11 Jan 2011
“Swine flu could lead to a universal vaccine,” reported The Independent. It said that a study has found that people infected with H1N1 swine flu “have an extraordinary immune response, producing antibodies that...
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10 Jan 2011
Swine flu is no longer classified as a pandemic but the H1N1 swine flu virus continues to circulate as part of seasonal flu. This news page is not being regularly updated at present as flu cases are within normal seasonal...
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07 Jan 2011
Many newspapers have reported that due to a shortage of flu vaccine, the government is breaking out stocks of ‘old vaccine’ from last year.
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21 Dec 2010
The flu vaccine has featured heavily in recent news, with reports that people are avoiding having the vaccine as they are concerned about its swine flu component. The British Medical Association (BMA) has written to the government, warning...
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13 Dec 2010
Swine flu has claimed the lives of 10 British adults in recent weeks, newspapers report. The Independent and the Daily Mail say there are signs that the virus ‘is back’, raising fears of ‘a new epidemic’.
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02 Nov 2010
A cure for the common cold may be on the way after “a remarkable discovery in a Cambridge laboratory”, The Independent has reported. The newspaper said that new research has identified a previously unkown...
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27 Oct 2010
“The flu pandemic in England killed 70 children in 2009,” The Guardian has reported. The newspaper says that “most of those who died had pre-existing health problems but one in five were healthy...
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