Swine Flu Alert Level Raised

The World Health Organization has now raised the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, alert level to 6, giving the illness pandemic status as it has now spread to 74 countries. It is the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. Officials are maintaining, though, that the flu is not deadly and can be easily treated, though it has resulted in 141 deaths since the outbreak began in April.

While all of this may seem like much ado about nothing, it is still important to practice common-sense rules about germs to prevent the spread of illness: wash hands regularly with soap and warm water, use hand sanitizer if water is not available, cover coughs and sneezes, stay home if you are ill and learn about safe food practices.

Swine Flu Fact Sheet

from Krames Patient Education Healthsheet


http://www.krames.com/
Swine influenza, also called swine flu, is an illness that mainly affects the lungs. This illness is caused by a virus (germ) that usually infects pigs (swine). The virus has now spread to humans and is easily passed from one person to another. This sheet answers some questions you may have about swine flu.

How Does Swine Flu Spread?


The swine flu virus can spread from infected pigs to humans that come in contact with them. The virus can then be passed among people the same way the regular flu spreads--through the air in droplets when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, laughs or talks. You can also become infected when you touch a surface on which the droplets have landed and then transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. Touching used tissues, or sharing utensils, drinking glasses, or a toothbrush with an infected person can expose you to the swine flu virus, too. You cannot become infected with swine flu from eating pork or pork products that have been properly handled and cooked.

What Are the Symptoms of Swine Flu?

Swine flu symptoms are about the same as regular flu symptoms.
These include:

• Fever, usually higher than 101 degrees and chills
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Body and muscle aches
• Dry cough
• Runny nose
• Tiredness and weakness
• Diarrhea and vomiting

Call your healthcare provider for advice if any of the above symptoms become severe. If swine flu has been detected in your area, your healthcare provider may have you tested.

How is Swine Flu Treated?

If swine flu is in your area and your symptoms are severe, your healthcare provider may prescribe medications call antivirals. These must be taken within 2 days of when your symptoms started. Antivirals work by stopping the swine flue virus from reproducing in your body. This gives your body's immune system a chance to fight the virus. After taking the medication, your symptoms may be milder and you may recover quicker than without the medication. The medication may also prevent serious complications such as pneumonia. Antivirals come in the form of pills, liquid or inhaler. If your symptoms are mild, your healthcare provider will likely tell you to follow the self-care measures listed below.

Easing Flu Symptoms

• Drink lots of fluids such as water, juice, and warm soup to prevent dehydration. A good rule is to drink enough so that you urinate your normal amount.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Ask your healthcare provider about acetaminophen or other medications for fever and pain. Take any medication only as directed. Do not give aspirin to children under age 18. It can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye Syndrome.
• Call your doctor if your fever rises above 101 degrees or you become dizzy, lightheaded, or short of breath.

Taking Steps to Protect Others

• Wash your hands often, especially after coughing or sneezing. Or, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand gel containing at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue. Then throw the tissue away and wash your hands. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
• Stay at home at least 5 days after you first feel sick or until your fever and cough are gone.
• Don't share food, utensils, drinking glasses or toothbrushes with others.
• Ask your doctor whether others in your household should receive antiviral medication to help them avoid infection.

How Can Swine Flu Be Prevented?

At this time there is no vaccine to prevent swine flu. But there are things you can do to avoid becoming infected with swine flu.

• Wash your hands often. Frequent handwashing is a proven way to prevent infection.
• Carry an alcohol-based hand gel containing at least 60 percent alcohol. Use it when you don't have access to soap and water. Alcohol gels kill most germs and are safe for children.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• At home and work, clean phones, computer keyboards, and toys often with disinfectant wipes.
• If possible, avoid close contact with others, especially if swine flu cases have been identified in the area where you live.
• Wearing a surgical facemask can help protect against getting swine flu. The mask prevents the spread of infected droplets when infected people cough, sneeze, laugh or talk.

Handwashing Tips

Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of swine flu and other common infections. Follow these steps:

• Use warm water and plenty of soap. Work up a good lather.
• Clean the whole hand, under your nails, between your fingers and up to the wrists.
• Wash for at least 15 seconds. Don't just wipe, scrub well.
• Rinse, letting the water run down your fingers, not up your wrists.
• Dry your hands well. Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

Using Alcohol-Based Hand Gels

Alcohol-based hand gels are also a good choice for cleaning your hands. Use them when you don't have access to soap and water, or your hands aren't visibly dirty. Follow these steps:

• Squeeze about a tablespoon of gel into the palm of one hand.
• Rub your hands together briskly, cleaning the backs of your hands, the palms, between your fingers, and up the wrists.
• Rub until the gel is gone and your hands are completely dry.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SWINE FLU VISIT THE CDC WEBSITE

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/key_facts.htm

No Reason to Panic

From MSNBC
Pay attention, but don't panic! That's the the bottom line from Dr. Lee Harrison, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Right now, the average citizen doesn’t need to do anything except to pay attention to news on the developing pandemic and to keep away from others if flu symptoms strike. There is no call to action at this point, except follow basic flu etiquette — don't cough on people and wash your hands often. If you show symptoms of the flu — such as coughing or sneezing — don't go to work or school and spread your germs around, whether they're the swine kind or a garden-variety cold. If you have a fever or difficulty breathing, call your doctor.

World Health Organization Raises Pandemic Alert

Click here for the full article from MSNBC.

• What is pandemic flu? Influenza viruses cause infections of the respiratory tract (breathing tubes and lungs). A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A pandemic flu occurs when a new flu virus emerges in humans. This new human flu virus then begins to cause serious illness and the new flu virus spreads easily from person to person worldwide.
• What is the difference between pandemic flu and seasonal flu? Every year, there are seasonal flu viruses that are spread from person-to-person and most people have some natural resistance against those viruses. A pandemic flu is a new flu virus that the human population has never been infected with before. People would have little or no natural resistance to such a virus.
• How would a pandemic flu affect communities and businesses? Because most people would have little or no natural resistance against a new pandemic flu virus, many people could become sick and would not be able to go to work or school. Many people would also stay at home to care for sick family members. Schools and businesses might close to try to prevent disease spread. Large group gatherings might be canceled. Public transportation might be limited. These are examples of challenges that local communities, schools, civic organizations, and businesses will have to work together on a plan for response.
• What can be done to protect people from a pandemic flu outbreak? In the event of a pandemic, or any other disease outbreak situation, certain public health measures may be important to help contain or limit the spread of infection as effectively as possible. The following actions could include:
  
  1. Isolating sick people in their homes, at hospitals or other facilities,
  2. Identifying and quarantining exposed people,
  3. Closing schools and workplaces as needed,
  4. Canceling public events,
  5. Restricting travel,
  6. Treating sick and exposed people with vaccines or antiviral medication (if available)

In addition, you should protect yourself on a daily basis by:

• Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your upper arm or sleeve, click here for more information,
• Washing your hands with soap and water frequently,
• Using antibacterial hand sanitizer and wipes to disinfect your hands and common surfaces,
• Stay home if you are sick so you can recover and do not infect other people.

To access the Federal Pandemic Flu Checklists and additional information regarding pandemic flu, please visit http://www.pandemicflu.gov/ or www.cdc.gov/swineflu

Q & A about Swine Flu

Source: The Associate Press
Robert Bazell
As new cases of swine flu emerge from around the globe, from Ohio to Nova Scotia to New Zealand, the declaration of a "public health emergency" in the United States has further stoked fears and confusion.
NBC Chief Science and Health Correspondent Robert Bazell answers questions on the outbreak:

• If this disease is like a mild flu, why is this being called a public health emergency? Why are officials in the United States concerned? It's about the potential. It's not about what's happening right now. None of the 40 cases so far in the United States have been very serious. But the virus here is genetically identical to the strain of the virus that is killing people in Mexico. This is a new virus, so there is no natural immunity. It has the potential to spread very widely. That's what raises worries about a possible pandemic.
• Don't thousands of people die from the regular flu? What's special this time around? Generally, people who die from influenza are older people or those who already have respiratory problems. They end up dying of pneumonia. But this time around, the people who died in Mexico are younger. They are apparently healthy people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. That's a big deal. When a virus seems to preferentially affect healthy people, it suggests its a new virus and is causing an overreaction of the immune response. That's what happened with the bird flu as well.
• If I have symptoms of the flu, but haven't recently been to Mexico, should I go to the doctor? You should go to the doctor if you have a fever or are really sick, for instance if you have difficulty breathing, even if you haven't been to Mexico. The cases in the U.S. are not just among people who have been to Mexico. And the cases in the U.S. are so geographically dispersed and with no obvious connection to each other, that it seems this virus has already spread widely in the United States. We shouldn't start overwhelming the E.R. or doctor's offices with every little sniffle or cough. If you had the flu bad enough to start endangering you, you would want to go to the doctor anyway. You should also follow flu etiquette. If you are sick, you should stay home from work or school and limit contact with others.
• Why is the disease so much more serious in Mexico than here? Probably because it started in Mexico. That's going to become a big issue over time. There's supposed to be a pandemic prevention plan to contain a new flu virus by giving people in surrounding areas Tamiflu. But it has obviously been spreading in Mexico for up to a month. The new strain of swine flu was discovered in California before the U.S. even knew about the cases in Mexico. The virus could also be mutating.
• Why is there so much uncertainty about what happens next? Every epidemic has its own behavior. There's really no way of predicting. This could really just fade out or it could become very serious. Right now we are in a period of great uncertainty. In public health, that's the hardest thing.