Swine flu scare spurs demand for masks

Health officials explain preparations for possible spread of disease

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Concerns over the worldwide spread of swine flu grew in Finland on Wednesday when the first patient suspected of an infection was quarantined in Lahti.
      Another possible case was under investigation in Kotka.
      Meanwhile, pharmacies have reported brisk sales of protective masks and hand disinfectants. Masks actually sold out in many pharmacies in the Helsinki region, and customers were instructed to ask at hardware stores.
     
However, many experts see amassing household stockpiles of surgical masks as unnecessary. Merja Saarinen of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health says that there is no evidence that the masks would be effective in preventing epidemics. For instance, masks are not mentioned in instructions directed at the population at large by the World Health Organisation.
      Eero Korhonen, an expert at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health says that cheap surgical masks do not even provide protection from infection. Higher quality respiratory protection masks, or the P2 and P3 classification can help, as they filter out the smallest droplets which can accumulate in the air inside passenger aircraft, for instance.
      Korhonen says that such masks might be worth taking on a long international flight, but otherwise they are of use mainly for medical personnel. Only if the disease becomes a pandemic, would the masks be of use in large crowds in cities.
     
At the Munkkiniemi pharmacy in Helsinki, both protective masks sold well on Wednesday.
      Liisa Rainio bought a package of five surgical masks for her upcoming trip to Germany. She said that she might get the better and more expensive protective masks “in case the epidemic gets worse”.
      Officials sought to discourage the hoarding of antiviral drugs, for which demand has soared at pharmacies, even though they require a doctor’s prescription. Officials urge doctors to write prescriptions only for likely cases of flu.
     
Minister of Social Services Paula Risikko(Nat. Coalition Party) and Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä (Centre) sought to inject some calm during a press conference on Wednesday.
      “There is no cause for panic yet”, Risikko said. “Officials have prepared for this for a long time.
      One suspected case does not affect the overall picture of the preparations, noted Petri Ruutu, research professor at the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
     
Finland has decided to acquire more protective masks for medical personnel and about 880,000 courses of the antiviral medicine Relenza, as well as an additional 90,000 courses of Tamiflu, another antiviral.
      A working group of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health recommended these acquisitions in December when the main concern was the possible spread of bird flu. However, because of the fairly positive outlook in the bird flu situation, the acquisitions were staggered.
      “It would have been nice if these big acquisitions had been made a couple of months earlier”, said Merja Saarinen, an official at the ministry.
      She says that it appears that Finland will get the additional medicines, even though demand is intense.
      Professor Ruutu says that the present number of Tamiflu courses, 1.3 million, is enough. The new acquisitions were meant mainly to protect medical personnel.
      Finland has also put in an order for a second dose of swine flu vaccine, once it is developed. Hyssälä says that a first dose has already been ordered.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Patient in Lahti tested for swine flu (29.4.2009)
  Finland prepared even for major epidemic of swine flu (28.4.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat