Everywhere you look this week there has been an increased media interest in the swine flu again due to how wide-spread it is becoming.

Here in Brighton and Hove there have been quite a few schools that have sent home letters due to either a suspected or confirmed case of Swine flu.  In some of the schools the children of the Parents' Forum team go to there has been a drop in attendance as parents keep their children home out of fear of them catching this much dreaded virus.

Though there is some cause for concern there really is no reason to panic.  What is most important is that we all keep following the Catch it, Bin it, Kill it advice given by the government and to keep an eye on anyone in your family that is showing signs of cold or flu.

• Catch It - Always carry tissues and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Always cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.
• Bin It - Germs can live for several hours on tissues. Dispose of your tissue as soon as possible.
• Kill It - Hands transfer germs to everything you touch. Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of germs. Clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles, computer key board) frequently using a normal cleaning product.

Also since this virus has become so widespread we are all being asked to find ourselves ‘flu friends'.  These are people that can take care of you (and your family) if you become too ill to take care of yourself.  Click here to find out more.

We all have concerns about our families especially if one of them has an underlying medical condition.  So we have spent some time bringing together useful web links for all of you worried parents out there.

If you are worried about a child under 5 or a person with an underlying medical condition that is showing cold or flu symptoms ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or your GP instead of using a systems checker.

NHS Swine Flu Q&A - This is the most comprehensive Q&A we were able to find.

NHS Direct Swine Flu Symptom Checker - We have found that due to high levels of usage this site keeps crashing.  So if worried about someone try the other link below.

GM.TV Swine Flu Symptom Checker

BBC News article about Swine Flu