A special committee will sit to coordinate the Manx government's response to the swine flu situation, in the event of the World Health Organisation declaring a level six 'pandemic' alert.

Overnight on Wednesday, the classification moved up to level five, immediately triggering the distribution of information leaflets to every home in the Isle of Man, which will happen towards the end of next week.

Chief Minister Tony Brown says the Manx government will continue to take the best actions it can, based on the best medical advice available.

Stocks of the vaccine Tamiflu are available should they be required, and everybody in the Island can help by taking good general hygiene precaution.

He told Manx Radio:

"From the political side I, as chief minister, chair a team which consists of the minister of health and social security, the minister of home affairs and the minister of treasury, who are the key areas of responsibility in this matter.

"We will meet if it gets to level six. If it gets to level six we will then meet on a regular basis with the officers concerned.

"At the moment the officers concerned are reporting directly to me as chief minister, and we are making sure that the public are advised."

Mr Brown says it's too early to say whether the TT will be affected by swine flu, but if a
stage six alert is declared advice will be taken on whether it would be appropriate to stage such an event.