The following table shows, for each outbreak, the number of people to whom courses of the antiviral oseltamivir (tamiflu) were administered. The standard course for prophylactic treatment with oseltamivir is 75 mgs once a day for ten days. In the outbreaks of avian flu, a range of dose regimes was used as follows:
the adult treatment dose is 75 mg twice a day for five days;
the adult prophylactic dose (post exposure) 75 mg per day for 10 days;
the adult prophylaxis dose (pre-exposure) 75 mg per day for up to 42 days (throughout period of exposure and continued until seven days after exposure); and
the dose for children depends on the weight of the child.
A/H5N1 vaccine is not used for outbreaks of avian flu. Our stockpile of vaccine is currently reserved for possible use in a human influenza pandemic.
This corrects the information given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Alan Johnson) on 22 November 2007, Official Report, column 1357.
Number of people1 given a course of antiviral prophylaxis drugs Incident Post-exposure prophylaxis Pre-exposure prophylaxis Total Essex A/H5N1 quarantine incident in 2005 8 0 8 Fife A/H5N1 incident in 2006 0 0 0 Norfolk A/H7N3 incident in 2006 (Dereham) 8 134 142 Suffolk A/H5N1 incident in 2007(Holton) 56 426 482 North Wales A/H7N2 incident in 2007 21 152 173 Suffolk2 A/H5N1 incident in2007(Redgrave)3 29 146 175 1 These figures include adults and children. Fewer than 10 children received post-exposure prophylaxis with anitiviral drugs. No children received pre-exposure prophylaxis. 2 The incident took place in Suffolk and therefore the name of the incident given in the table is different to that listed in the question. 3 Data as of 26 November 2007 (incident still ongoing).