Bristol man catches swine flu at work
Project manager Barry Greatorex is today confined to his home near Bristol after becoming the first person in England to develop swine flu without having been to Mexico.
Mr Greatorex, 43, was diagnosed with the virus after falling ill last weekend.
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Bristol man Barry Greatorex has caught swine flu from a work colleague
He developed the symptoms after being in the same office for just half an hour as a colleague who had recently returned from a holiday in Mexico.
Now he is quarantined at home in Kestrel Close, Chipping Sodbury, for another five days and is taking the anti-viral drug Tamiflu.
His wife, Fran, 46, and son Jamie, 13, are staying with him even though neither has shown any symptoms of the illness.
But Jamie had continued to attend lessons at Chipping Sodbury School for much of the week as it was only later that swine flu was confirmed in his dad.
Mr Greatorex, who works for a global freight company, is normally based in Bristol but had visited the firm’s East Midlands depot where his colleague is based.
He said: “She did have a cough and that’s what’s passed my way. She has in fact tested negative for the virus and no-one else in that office has become ill, although they’ve been given Tamiflu.
“I came home on the Friday of last week and started to feel ill two days later, with aches and pains, and it got progressively worse over 24 hours.
“At first I hadn’t linked it with swine flu because there wasn’t all the press coverage at that stage but on Tuesday a doctor came out and took swabs.
“Jamie had been to school but on Thursday we were told to keep him at home.
“My wife is a child minder but thankfully we had taken the decision ourselves not to have any children here as soon as I started to feel unwell.
“I thought I just had a bad cold at first. I’ve never had flu before and I’m normally quite a healthy person. I’ve not had any sickness but just aches, pains, a headache and a cough.
“I was feeling pretty poorly on Tuesday and Wednesday but now I’m thinking it was a mild case and there are definitely signs of improvement.”
Mr Greatorex said he had been planning to spend the bank holiday doing some gardening but would now be staying indoors with the TV on.
The family have also been able to order food online from Tesco and have it delivered to their door.
8 Comments
by Catherine, C.Sodbury
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 6:24PM
“I mean I know its a bit far fetched but would make a good political/sci fi thriller!!!”
by Catherine, Chipping Sodbury
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 6:20PM
“Yes Mark, that's what I was saying!! I didn't say I live in Bristol itself because I know I don't!!
I like the remarks left by others today about this 'pandemic' taking everyone's minds off the recession!! An accident of nature that originated in Mexico or an idea thought up by the world leaders at the recent G20 summit??? Hmmmm............”
by Mark, Weston-Super-Mare
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 11:28AM
“Sorry Catherine but I have a BS postal code meaning that I am in the postal district served by Bristol not IN BRISTOL itself.
Agree with all other points you make, yes we need to be made aware of the situation but like you say people always have always over the years died of a influenza related illness in this country - that was never stop news every winter”
by joe bloggs, unknown
Monday, May 04 2009, 5:41PM
“what are the chance we are in a global recession and pandemic virus is virtually effected the whole world. What else could take the impact off the recession than a pandemic!”
by Catherine, Chipping Sodbury
Monday, May 04 2009, 4:17PM
“To Gerry:
Our postcode is BS37. The first two letters denote Bristol!! I know we are 13 miles away from Bristol but it is our postal address even though we are in South Gloucestershire! When I write my address down though I personally, do not include Bristol in it.
In general, I think this Swine Flu business is a bit of a storm in a teacup meself, I mean, we get different strains of flu in the UK every winter and yes, it can kill - the elderly and anyone with chronic illnesses are especially at risk, yet apart from lots of us going for yearly flu jabs, what do we hear in the press about it? Virtually nothing. I hope I'm not proved wrong and that the world's media really are blowing this up out of all proportion! I do hope Mr Greatorex and everyone else infected with this makes a good and full recovery very soon.”
by gerry, bristol
Sunday, May 03 2009, 2:50PM
“Here we go again, since when has chipping sodbury been in bristol. ??”
by Eli, Bristol
Sunday, May 03 2009, 12:23PM
“How can you catch swine flu from someone that has tested negative?
The only person coming into contact with this person is the Tesco driver...nice one...he can give it to the rest of Tescos customers..”
by sarah, st wurlyburgs
Saturday, May 02 2009, 5:49PM
“well i am glad TESCO have come to save the day - what on earth have they got to do with swine flu?!!!”