Pandemic helpline and website

the NHS has today launched it's Pandemic helpline and website, supposedly to help ease the pressure on GP's etc from Swine Flu.

But, having seen or heard NO advertising for it other than a brief mention on a radio news bulletin, how do you contact it? And, even better, is that NONE of the people on the end of the phone, or online, are doctor's - or any medical professional. They are just asking a pre-set list of questions to help and maybe issue a voucher for the anti viral drugs.

Would you trust it? And how much has it cost to set up? Couldn't this money have been given to GP surgery's to employee extra nurse's or pay them overtime?

Swine flu - scaremongering

Is it just me or are the media, and maybe the government, using swine flu to scare people?

Several times recently the media have announced that people have died from swine flu - the doctor, that then turned out to have had heart problems & high blood pressure for years, and the 6 year old that died at the same time, then they said may not even have had swine flu.

And again in the past few days, saying that a 7 year old in kent has died from it, but they also haven't actually been confirmed as suffering from it!

So why say it? Why not wait until they are sure and THEN tell people, surely if that was the case and it wasn't speculation most people would then pay more attention and maybe take it seriously?

Or is this the governement's way of distracting attention away from the financial cock up that is called the economy and treasury department?

Wouldn't eb the first time that government's around the world have tried similar tactics!