http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/societe/20091210.FAP7308/...

http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/societe/20091210.FAP7308/ah1n1_antiviraux_recommandes_pour_tous_les_cas_suspects.html

This news is in French, I have translated it via Google-
translate. If I understand it right then the

KEY MESSAGE IS THAT FRANCE HAS STOCKPILED 7,7 MILLION COURSES OF TAMIFLU AND 9 MILLION COURSES OF RELENZA !

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT A STATE IS
OVERWEIGHTING RELENZA !!

Regards from Germany
Eric
__________
A/H1N1: ANTIVIRALS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL SUSPECTED CASES OF INFLUENZA
AP | 10.12.2009 | 13:09 AP | 10.12.2009 | 13:09

For fight against the pandemic H1N1, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) recommends that physicians prescribe from Thursday antiviral therapy for all suspected cases of influenza, not just the suspicion is combined with a risk factor.
To have enough medicine available, "we will mobilize the strategic stock of the state," said Thursday morning Didier Houssin, director general of health, during a press briefing.
Currently, patients have access prescription to Tamiflu and Relenza which is produced by laboratories that are paying.
As of December 21 at the latest, available free in pharmacies, still on order, three types of antiviral drugs from state stocks: capsules of Tamiflu 75mg (adults and children over 40kg) Relenza which is inhaled and tablet scored PG Oseltamivir 30mg (preferably to book for children). Ces comprimés ont été fabriqués par la Pharmacie centrale des armées à partir de la poudre qui avait été achetée à un laboratoire en 2004 au moment de l'épidémie de grippe aviaire. These tablets were manufactured by the Central Pharmacy of armies from the powder that had been purchased at a laboratory in 2004 at the outbreak of avian flu.
The curative antiviral treatment (full dose for five days) is now recommended for all suspected cases of influenza. Evelyne Falip, conseillère de la ministre de la Santé Roselyne Bachelot, souligne que "toutes les grippes que l'on voit (actuellement) sont des grippes A/H1N1". Evelyne Falip, adviser to the Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said that "all the flu that we see (now) are influenza A/H1N1.
DGS recommends prescribing the same treatment to people who had close contact with a suspect and presenting a risk factor. Il leur est maintenant conseillé de prendre un antiviral à pleine dose pendant cinq jours, au lieu de la prophylaxie précédente (une demi-dose pendant 10 jours). They are now advised to take a full antiviral dose for five days, instead of the previous prophylaxis (half dose for 10 days).
These new recommendations are based on an opinion rendered by the scientific committee of the fight against flu (CLCG).
"This is not a change of strategy for vaccination," insisted Didier Houssin, stating that these measures were to "supplement" to the immunization policy.
ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED THURSDAY BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HEALTH, THE STATE CURRENTLY HAS 4 MILLION TREATMENTS OF TAMIFLU FOR 3.3 MILLION TREATMENTS OF OSELTAMIVIR AND 9 MILLION TREATMENT RELENZA.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, the National Institute of Health Surveillance (InVS) identified 126 deaths associated with H1N1 virus and 630 serious cases in France (depending on how the situation December 8, 2009).
Roselyne Bachelot said Wednesday that nearly four million people had been infected since the beginning of August.
The Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux indicated that the bar of "2.5 million people" should be vaccinated expired Wednesday: two million people have received priority in the injection vaccination centers, more than 400,000 health workers are have been immunized, and more than 100,000 high school students were vaccinated in their school. La vaccination des personnes non-prioritaires doit commencer fin décembre. Vaccination of non-priority should begin in late December. AP AP