Silver lining of bug scare

When is a flu epidemic not an epidemic? When it's this year's bout which has caused so much sniffling misery to thousands of people.

Even though half the country appears to have been affected by flu or chest infections, cases reported to the NHS are still not quite high enough for this outbreak to be termed an epidemic.

That's good news, because it means that huge numbers of sufferers who are not old and don't have breathing difficulties have done the sensible thing and decided not to bother GPs or hospitals.

Many of them have also taken advice from the new hotline run by the NHS or have gone to see their local pharmacist.

For anyone who's normally healthy, not visiting hospital relieves the enormous strain on the NHS and also lessens the chance of the outbreak spreading.

It seems hospitals are just about coping but they certainly don't want to see anyone during the next fortnight who isn't in urgent need.

Unkindest cuts

The NHS may be close to crisis. So is the social care department of Brighton and Hove Council.

Cuts of £1.6 million in its budget must be made for next year and the pressures are likely to get worse after that.

Brighton and Hove has an extraordinarily large number of social problems and in many cases it's down to the department to pick up the pieces.

Although it's spending more than the national average, that's scarcely surprising considering the scale of the problems ranging from drug addiction to mental illness.

The council must make a convincing case to the Government for more support or risk having to make some unacceptable reductions in the years ahead.

Bridge of sighs

Now that Pooh Bridge near Hartfield has been rebuilt, it would be a good idea to sell remnants of the old bridge to fans of the fictitious bear.

There'll be thousands of takers because of the enduring popularity of AA Milne's famous stories written for Christopher Robin and everyone would be pleased except Eeyore.

And if by chance there was any wood left over, it could always be left in a small heap by the new bridge for visitors to play Poohsticks.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.