Swine Flu, What Are The Precautions You Can Take And Treatments Available
We are today (more and more|more} vulnerable from various strains of the flu virus. First we had scares over the bird flu virus, and more recently swine flu has become the latest worry. Swine flu is of more concern than bird flu ever was. It was feared that bird flu could mutate into a strain that would infect humans, but for a handful of cases, this did not materialize. Swine flu is a bigger concern, swine flu has the ability to pass between humans making it a dangerous threat.
Swine flu (influenza A (H1N1) is a disease that infects pigs and is the result of a flu virus. Outbreaks of swine flu in pigs is not uncommon but is rarely fatal. Swine flu doesn’t normally infect humans, but it can occasionally happen.
Swine flu is particularly dangerous because it is a new type of virus. It is dangerous because no one has been in contact with this particular strain previously, and therefore no one has built up any immunity to this type of flu. It is our inbuilt immunity that stops diseases from becoming life threatening, with no inbuilt immunity to the swine flu virus we are at the mercy of the virus. Absolutely everyone is vulnerable, including healthy adults and teenagers as well as children and the elderly.
The real concern is what occurs when the flu season starts in the winter. This is the period when the swine flu virus may spread quickly causing a flu pandemic with the possibility of over half of the population being affected.
Swine flu symptoms are similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. These can include a sudden,sudden onset of fever, cough or a shortness of breath. Other symptoms that may present themselves include headaches, a sore throat, aching muscles, chills, sneezing, runny nose, appetite loss and tiredness.
Precautions First, anyone with cold or flu symptoms should to take a few simple, but very important precautions. The virus is spread between humans by the droplets from the mouth and nose when someone coughs or sneezes. This is the way viruses such as swine flu are spread from person to person. Covering your face with your hands when you cough or sneeze is not enough. The virus simply sit on your hands, then everything you handle afterwards becomes contaminated. Anyone touching the same place as you will pick up the flu virus and will then risk becoming infected. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or tissue. A tissue is better, this should be disposed of as soon as possible, try to use a fresh tissue if you cough or sneeze again.
Currently there are no vaccinations that stop anyone catching swine flu. Swine flu is a new type of virus and isn’t the same as seasonal flu. Therefore the vaccination against the normal seasonal flu is not effective against swine flu. Once the type of flu causing swine flu is identified, it will take several months to produce. By which time, it may have changed into a different strain.
Currently the only real effective treatment against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu is not guaranteed to prevent flu, but when a person has been exposed to another person who is carrying the swine flu virus, it can help to stop the virus making a person ill. If Tamiflu is taken within two days of contracting the flu virus, it can help stop the virus spreading throughout the body, reducing the symptoms and associated risk. Governments are stockpiling Tamiflu, but these supplies will naturally be used to treat important workers and individuals before the general population.
You can buy Tamiflu online, so if the situation arises you can protect yourself and your family. It cannot be emphasized strongly enough, Tamiflu has to be taken as early as possible if it is to be effective, any delays in treatment will reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu. If you think you may be at a higher risk due to your situation, such as For example living in a busy city with a large population or for example working in a busy open plan office, then it may be prudent to buy Tamiflu before the winter flu season begins. If you live in the country and do not have close contact with many people then of course there will be less chance of getting the flu virus.
Also, remember that swine flu is a worldwide problem. It is possible that supplies of Tamiflu may be diminished and may not be enough to meet a large global demand.
Until a vaccine is found and produced in the large quantities needed, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for the swine flu virus.
Disclaimer: This posting is based on information that is freely available in the popular press and medical articles concerned with swine flu. Nothing in this post is intended to be or should be taken to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice you are encouraged to consult with your own physician.
This entry was posted on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 6:23 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.