Special clinics planned to deal with bird flu

Health authorities say they will try to reduce the potential for neighbourhood GPs to be infected by patients in an influenza pandemic by steering suspected victims to special clinics.

The "community assessment centres" would be set up in schools, marae and community halls to keep infectious people away from hospital emergency departments and family doctors, the Ministry of Health said.

They would be staffed around the clock by medical students and other volunteers as well as doctors, and nurses, and may also be used as distribution centres for anti-virals and antibiotics.

- NZPA