Swine Flu, What Precautions You Can Take And Which Treatments Are Available
Today we are (more and more|more} vulnerable from various strains of the flu virus. initially we had alarms over bird flu, but more recently swine flu has become the latest concern. Swine flu is of more concern than bird flu was. It was a worry that bird flu may mutate into a form that would infect humans, but for a few cases, this did not materialize. Swine flu is a greater worry, swine flu is able to spread between humans making it a very serious threat.
Swine flu, or to be more correct influenza A (H1N1), is a disease that effects pigs and is the result of a flu virus. Swine flu outbreaks in pigs is is common and is only rarely fatal. Swine flu doesn’t normally infect humans, although it can happen occasionally.
Swine flu is very dangerous as it is a new type of virus. This means that no one has been in contact with this particular strain before, therefore no one has built up any immunity. It is our inbuilt immunity that stops diseases from becoming life threatening, with no inbuilt immunity to swine flu we are in serious danger from the virus. Everyone is vulnerable, this includes healthy adults and teenagers as well as children and the elderly.
The real worry is what occurs when the winter flu season arrives. This is the period when the swine flu virus may spread quickly causing a flu pandemic with possibly over half the population becoming infected.
The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. These can include a sudden,sudden onset of fever, cough, shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include headache, sore throat, muscle aches, chills, sneezing, a runny nose, appetite loss and tiredness.
So what precautions can we take. First, anyone with cold or flu symptoms needs to take a few simple, but most important precautions. The virus is spread between humans from the droplets from the mouth and nose when someone sneezes or coughs. This is the way viruses are passed from person to person. Holding your face with your hands when you sneeze or cough isn’t enough. The virus simply sit on your hands, then everything you handle afterwards becomes contaminated. Anyone then touching anything you touched will pick up the virus and then risks becoming infected themselves. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or tissue. A tissue is far better, this should then be disposed of as soon as you can, and always use a new tissue if you cough or sneeze again.
There are currently no vaccinations to stop anyone catching the swine flu virus. The swine flu virus is a new type of virus and is not the same as seasonal flu. Therefore the annual vaccination against the normal ordinary flu is not effective against swine flu. Even when the strain of flu causing swine flu is identified, it will take many months to produce. By which time, it may well have mutated into a different strain.
Currently the only real effective treatment against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu isn’t guaranteed to prevent flu, but when someone has been exposed to another person who is carrying the flu virus, Tamiflu can help to stop the virus making a person sick. If Tamiflu is taken within 2 days of contracting the flu virus, it can help stop the virus spreading throughout the body, thereby reducing the symptoms and associated risk. Governments are stockpiling Tamiflu, the supplies will naturally be used to treat key workers and individuals before treating the general population.
You can however buy Tamiflu online, so if the situation arises you can protect yourself and your family as much as possible. Although it cannot be emphasized strongly enough, Tamiflu has to be taken as soon as possible if it is to be effective, any delays in treatment will greatly reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu. If you are at a higher risk due to your situation, such as For example living in a city with a large population or working in a busy open plan office, then it may be prudent to buy Tamiflu before the winter flu season starts. If you live in the country and don’t have close contact with many people then of course there will be less chance of getting the flu virus.
Remember that swine flu is a global problem. It is possible that supplies of Tamiflu may be diminished and may not be great enough to meet a huge worldwide demand.
Until a vaccine is discovered and produced in the quantities needed, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for swine flu.
Disclaimer: This post is based on information that is freely available in the press and medical journals related to swine flu. Nothing herein is meant to be or should be taken to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice you are advised to consult your own physician.