Airlines turning back swine flu victims

:Airlines have put in place measures to turn back passengers showing swine flu symptoms, they said Sunday.

• British Airways said there had been "very small number of cases" where people showing symptoms of the H1N1 virus had been advised not to travel following medical advice.
  And Virgin Atlantic said people suffering from swine flu would not be allowed to travel without a "fit to fly" certificate from their doctor or a hospital, though there have been no cases so far.
• Britain's health authorities are advising people with symptoms to delay their journeys until the signs have cleared up.
• "We have a medical team within the airline as well as a contingency planning group which has met for the past few years to look at the issue of a flu pandemic," A British Airways spokeswoman said.
• "We have a wide range of contingency plans in place which we can use depending on how the situation may evolve.
• "If we have concerns about a customer or the customer is concerned, then we have a 24 hour medical service we can call to give advice to staff.
• "They will speak to the customer and an assessment will be made about their fitness to fly.
• "There have been a number of cases where we have advised customers not to fly on the basis of their diagnosis or symptoms of H1N1."
• Britain is the country worst hit by the pandemic in Europe, with estimates of 55,000 new cases last week.
• Virgin Atlantic spokesman Paul Charles said: "If there are signs of something being wrong, be it excessive sneezing or coughing, not looking well, high temperature, then the airport staff can call in a medical team for extra advice.
• "If the medical team believe there are reasons not to fly, the passenger will be asked to produce a fit to fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital, and they will be put at our cost on to the next available flight."
• Health officials said Thursday that 29 people had died in Britain after contracting swine flu.
• England's chief medical officer Liam Donaldson also said that in a worst case scenario, around a third of Britain's population could be infected and 65,000 killed.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com