Bin your tissue while the Government bins your taxes

THIS WEEK leaflets providing information about swine flu and how to help prevent its spread started being delivered to every household in the UK as part of a national campaign. What a colossal waste of taxpayers money. The leaflet does little more than s

THIS WEEK leaflets providing information about swine flu and how to help prevent its spread started being delivered to every household in the UK as part of a national campaign.

What a colossal waste of taxpayers' money. The leaflet does little more than state the blindingly obvious - use clean tissues when you cough or sneeze, bin tissues after use, and wash hands with soap and hot water.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense carries out these exercises as a matter of course. We are not waiting for direction from the Government before we use a fresh tissue or buy a bar of soap, for goodness sake.

The leaflet also advises people to set up networks of neighbours, friends or relatives who would pick up medicine and other supplies in the event of someone having to stay at home due to flu.

Is it really necessary to have all these networks in place in the unlikely event we contract the virus?

Would it not suffice to call a friend or relative if we actually catch the flu, and ask them then to lend a hand?

Establishing networks now is not only a complete waste of time, but it serves to increase panic among members of the public - something I'm sure the Government is keen to avoid.

Instead of misusing time and money insulting the public's intelligence, Government resources should be keenly focussed on coming up with a vaccine.