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Many of my friends are calling today, worried about Swine Flu, what it is and what they should do to protect themselves and their families. First do not panicThis is what we know
Why the CDC is concerned
In New York, the 8 cases are all high school students from St. Francis Prep in Queens. Students from this school had traveled to Mexico city in the last 2 weeks. It's not yet known if the students with Swine Flu are the same ones who went to Mexico City or if they were infected by a classmate who traveled there. All of the students in New York are recovering.
The virus is the same as the one in Mexico, which is responsible for at least 16 confirmed deaths. You may have seen reports of 86 deaths, which was reported today by the Mexican Health Minister. The CDC has yet to confirm that all of those cases were conclusively caused by Swine Flu.
This flu has been transmitted from person to person, making it very serious and which has the potential to become pandemic. 3 things need to happen for a flu outbreak to be pandemic.
- It has to be new, meaning that people don't have immunity to it
- It has to cause severe disease
- It has to be transmitted from person to person
What can people do:
Watch for flu symptoms and see you health care provider for:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Body Aches
- Headache
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Some people also have diarrhea and vomiting
Most important:
- If you are sick, stay home, don't travel, don't go to work.
- Avoid people who are sick, until you know what they have and if it's contagious.
- If you're kids are sick don't send them to to school.
- People may be contagious as long as 7 days after all symptoms have resolved (gone away).
If you have kids in college
Give them a call, let them know the symptoms and to get to their health center if they're sick. Review good handwashing, using tissues for coughs and sneezes and avoiding people who are sick.
Are there medications to treat the Swine flu?
• Tamiflu & Relenza - these are effective, recommended by the CDC and help prevent the virus from worsening and causing more severe symptoms. They can be taken as soon as symptoms start, or as soon as a person suspects exposure.
Prevention and Precautions:
- Good old fashioned hand washing with soap and water or an alcohol based cleaner
- Use a tissue for coughing and sneezing, and then throw them away
- Stay away from people who are sick
What about eating Pork?
Eating pork DOES NOT cause Swine flu. As long as you cook it thoroughly, it's still safe to eat pork.
I'll provide regular updates. Be well, and try not to panic. The Swine Flu can be a very serious infection, but there are few cases in the US and all of the people infected have recovered or are recovering. Stay safe by taking precautions. For more see NurseBarb.com.
