Last week, approximately one in 600 of us thought we had swine-flu.

Medical opinion is apparently unsure whether this is an accurate figure, as we have now supplemented conventional visits to a GP with new call-centre based and website-based diagnostic services.

But, just as the National Pandemic Flu Service gets under way, it faces a barrage of criticism. Too early say some (it only encourages panic and false-positive diagnoses); ‘too little too late’ says the Tory Health Spokesman. Step forward the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee which questions why there are only 1,500 telephone agents when the Government promised 7,000. Then there is the Royal Pharmaceutical Society which wants more public buildings opened for the distribution of Tamiflu.