two varieties of the viral ailment have surfaced.

And Health officials are warning all persons who may be feeling achy, have a runny nose and cough to stay at home in order to lessen the transmission of the sickness to others.

It appears there are two types of flu circulating. The classic flu which is the achy feeling, malaise, coughs and headaches. There is another type however but it affects the stomach region.

"Every year we get in the flu injections which are available from the middle of October onwards,'' Nurse Epidemioloigst Rhonda Daniels said yesterday.

"The people we tend to see coming for vaccinations tend to be older people and those whose immune systems have been compromised such as those with the HIV virus.'' Ms Daniels said persons who are particularly susceptible should get a vaccination.

"The flu season really tends to lower work productivity,'' she explained.

"So many businesses can have large numbers of employees out with the flu so we tend to tell people that if they think they may have the flu they should limit their contact with other people.

"Although it is a viral illness which most people can recover from very quickly, it can cause a lot of distress in some workplaces,'' she added.

So far this year there have been 1,332 cases to the week of November, 8, 1996 compared to 914 cases in the same period last year.

Ms Daniels said her department expected to continue to see increases in the numbers suffering with flu throughout the winter.

spot because it could only land me in trouble. If I went to Court Street I would probably get mixed up in a whole load of nonsense.'' Another homeless man said: "I think they should let us do the maid's work.

"There is no reason why we can't do all the cleaning. We can even cook. That way we can pay for staying at the shelter.'' The Salvation Army's Major David Goulding, executive director of the Harbour Light Centre, said the Parsons Road homeless were on the roadside at their own choice.

"They are not on our property. We've had complaints about the garbage there, but I guess that's the City's responsibility.

"One elderly lady is an alcoholic and we don't have the facilities to treat alcoholics.

"She needs to be in an institution. We've offered to take some of the other guys in, but they are not willing to comply with rules.'' Major Goulding said there was no set rate for the permanent shelters.

"It is worked out according to their income.'' He accepted the night shelters fees were going up from $3 to $4 from December 1, but stressed this was the first rise in seven years.

Major Goulding said the shelters provided about 75 beds and over the weekend were 98 percent full.

"The reason why these people have to be out of the shelter during the day is that the same person doesn't always get the same bed. Everything has to be scrubbed. You have to look at the entire picture.'' Major Goulding was lukewarm over the offer by homeless people to clean and cook themselves.

"I'm sure their intentions are good, but there are many people who need feeding at the shelter and these things can't always be done by volunteers.'' For Frederick and David, however, a chance to earn their keep may just herald a new beginning to their lives.