Swine Flu Treatment Will Now Cost
A hospital poster warning that viruses can be passed by shaking hands.
Image: YLE
A government decision to remove swine flu from the list of generally hazardous communicable diseases officially comes into effect on Monday. Cases will now be handled in the same manner as seasonal flus.
Experts say that the H1N1 has become so widespread that special measures involving individual treatment will no longer prevent its further spread.
Most treatment of the virus will now be transferred from specialist hospital wards to health centres. They will concentrate on treating patients belonging to risk groups such as pregnant mothers, the long-term ill and small infants.
The decision also means that patients will now be charged for physicians' services, medication and possible hospital treatment.
YLE