Birmingham Post reporter Christina Savvas panicked when she was diagnosed with swine flu. There was no need.

It seems a long time ago that news of a killer virus broke and I was at the centre of a media scrum waiting for the first tourists to arrive back in Birmingham from Mexico. Four months later we’re faced with a very different situation. Not only are we no longer able to contain the illness, we are faced with the prospect of how to react sensibly to a virus that is no more than a cold to the average healthy person.

Although we are reassured by medical professionals that the strain is mild and there is more chance of dying from meningitis, headlines about people dying from swine flu remain stark in everyone’s minds.

Only in June I was told by health chiefs that several locations across the Midlands are identified as suitable for makeshift mortuaries if the pandemic leads to mass casualties.

I consider myself to be a fit and healthy 27-year-old journalist, so I was not particularly worried about catching swine flu. My main concern was pregnant friends and vulnerable relatives with other health issues. The illness began with the usual cold symptoms – coughing, sneezing and a runny nose.

My appetite had been affected a little beforehand but I just put it down to feeling under the weather.

Then all of a sudden my temperature soared, my back began to ache and my lips became incredibly swollen.

The usual office banter began with colleagues joking that I had caught the virus. Because of all the publicity in the news about swine flu – I had worked on the story about the UK’s biggest outbreak at Welford School in Handsworth – I decided to consult the NHS direct website.

As I did, I began to panic as I mentally ticked the symptoms. I hadn’t even finished reading the paragraph about swollen lips when I had already dialled the NHS helpline number. I hadn’t associated the symptom with swine flu.

“We believe you have the swine flu virus.” said the operator a few ­moments later.

Then I began to panic, two close family members were being treated for cancer and my 11-year-old cousin who has spinal muscular atrophy – a genetic disorder that affects nerve cells so that muscles can’t be used.

All sorts of things began running through my head and I felt guilty that I may have already passed on the virus to others. Although I consider myself to be a calm person I felt panic begin to set in.

I was then told I should contact my GP. Of course, the advice is not to go to the surgery in case you have swine flu and spread it around everyone there.

I once again ran through my symptoms and a nurse called me back within 20 minutes after consulting a doctor.

She said they also believed I had the H1N1 virus and told me I would be prescribed the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

I was asked to send a “flu friend” to collect my prescription and go to one of just two collection points in Tamworth.

Meanwhile, I had taken up residency in my bedroom – to begin a week of a life in quarantine – my husband banished to the spare room. We didn’t want to take any risks which might result him catching the illness and also having to take time off work.

By this point my temperature continued to sore, limbs ached and I felt very weak. I also felt pains in my chest and I felt short of breath.

I spent all day in bed – sleeping most of the day. I began the course of anti viral drugs immediately.

The Tamiflu is not a cure for the illness, but simply lessens the severity and length of illness by a day. I was expecting to get really sick from taking Tamiflu but luckily, despite advice, I didn’t seem to suffer from any side effects.

I was also told to drink plenty of fluids and take paracetemol to bring down my temperature.

The first few days were the worst in terms of the illness but then I just felt achy and tired and generally unwell.

By the third day I didn’t feel bad at all and actually started to feel bored – there is only so much daytime TV I could handle but I continued to stay shut away.

On the fourth day I felt I had recovered from the worse and as I only had one day of the drugs to take I rang the doctor to see if I was no longer contagious and could I leave my house – the answer was no and I was advised to continue my stay in quarantine for one week. Boredom had well and truly settled in.

It was worrying but I have to ask myself if I would be as worried if it wasn’t for the press coverage, hype and headlines. After all, everyone has had flu at least twice in their lives, and no one I know has died from it, or even come close.

I am now left curious about what will happen when the new school term begins and we approach the Autumn/Winter. I fear that children will miss out valuable education and businesses will really suffer.

It will be easy for anyone to say they have swine flu symptoms and put their feet up for the week with no one to check up.

I understand we can’t swab everyone who shows symptoms of the virus and I am obviously not a medical expert but surely there must be a better way than every person who has cold-like symptoms to stay at home for a week?