Why worry about swine flu?
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Md Mozzammel Haque
THE strain of H1N1 virus, that causes "swine flu", contains a combination of flu viruses that affect pigs, birds and humans. The virus that affects humans can spread from person to person more easily.
H1N1 influenza spreads the same way the other flu viruses do -- through the air. When an affected person sneezes, coughs, or speaks, others near him can catch the virus. By touching an object on which someone affected has sneezed or coughed, one can be infected too.
Swine flu epidemic often starts in a school. The authorities, concerned that a flu outbreak is possible, often closed schools as a precaution.
The following tips would be useful protection against swine flu infection:
Thoroughly washing hands;
Wiping cough with napkins, but not by hand;
Staying home if one is infected;
Staying away from the infected;
Eating healthy diets and taking plenty of rest.
Symptoms show up 48 to 72 hours after a person is infected. Weakness, muscle ache, cough, sore throat or runny nose with fever are the symptoms.
So far, swine flu has not proven to be more dangerous than seasonal influenza. It is not clear whether pregnant women would be more vulnerable than others.
As pregnancy weakens a woman's immune system, she is more likely to suffer pneumonia when she has swine flu. Pregnant women with asthma and some other health conditions are particularly at risk of complications.
Swine flu affects children and young adults more, probably because older people have some residual immunity from exposure to previous outbreaks of H1N1 strains during the mid 20th century. But the good news is that there is no sign yet of its becoming more virulent.
Treatment is similar to that of seasonal flu. Most people get well by resting, staying hydrated and taking medicines to reduce fever. One should stay home and keep away from others for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone.
Children under 18 years should not be given aspirin due to a risk of Reye's Syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening illness. Children under four should not be given cold medicines without the advice of paediatricians.
A doctor should be consulted if one has trouble of breathing, chest or abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion or persistent vomiting, or if one's flu symptoms worsen after improving. The paediatrician should be consulted if a child has those symptoms, is not drinking enough fluids, or is irritable or sluggish.
Swine flu has an incubation period of up to seven days after a person is infected.
But, one should not worry, as a few effective ways could ward off infection and stop the spread of swine flu.
The tips:
1 - Do not risk it. If one is experiencing influenza like symptoms, one should simply stay home. Since these symptoms mirror regular cold and influenza symptoms, it is better to be careful.
2 - The safer way to cough and sneeze. Here is the deal - one should cough or sneeze into the interior of one's elbow on the arm. This is the only way to keep from spreading germs to one's hands and to everything that an infected person touches.
3 - One should wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Whatever one touches might be infected, so a good guideline is to keep one's hands clean to cut back on the chances of becoming infected.
4 - A little hand sanitizer goes a long, long way. Simply have a tube of hand sanitizer with you at all time. This way you can continually clean your hands.
5 - Be wary of public places. Door handles and even ink pens are breeding grounds for germs. Avoid touching them at all costs.
6 - Be cautious on airplanes, trains and buses. The close quarters of an aeroplane is a place where germs like the swine flu pathogen lurk, so protect yourself.
7 - Wash your vegetables and fruit entirely. Buy your vegetables and vegetables locally if you can. Wash them with water and soak them to extend the effectiveness.
8 - Go to your doctor. If you are experiencing any flu-like symptoms you should see your doctor at once. As stated earlier, only your health practitioner can diagnose your particular strain of the flu.
People however should not panic. The chances of dying of swine flu are just as low as dying of common flu.
The writer, an Erasmus Mundus Scholar, AtoSiM Masters Programme, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, can be reached at: mdmozzammelhaque@yahoo.com
THE strain of H1N1 virus, that causes "swine flu", contains a combination of flu viruses that affect pigs, birds and humans. The virus that affects humans can spread from person to person more easily.
H1N1 influenza spreads the same way the other flu viruses do -- through the air. When an affected person sneezes, coughs, or speaks, others near him can catch the virus. By touching an object on which someone affected has sneezed or coughed, one can be infected too.
Swine flu epidemic often starts in a school. The authorities, concerned that a flu outbreak is possible, often closed schools as a precaution.
The following tips would be useful protection against swine flu infection:
Thoroughly washing hands;
Wiping cough with napkins, but not by hand;
Staying home if one is infected;
Staying away from the infected;
Eating healthy diets and taking plenty of rest.
Symptoms show up 48 to 72 hours after a person is infected. Weakness, muscle ache, cough, sore throat or runny nose with fever are the symptoms.
So far, swine flu has not proven to be more dangerous than seasonal influenza. It is not clear whether pregnant women would be more vulnerable than others.
As pregnancy weakens a woman's immune system, she is more likely to suffer pneumonia when she has swine flu. Pregnant women with asthma and some other health conditions are particularly at risk of complications.
Swine flu affects children and young adults more, probably because older people have some residual immunity from exposure to previous outbreaks of H1N1 strains during the mid 20th century. But the good news is that there is no sign yet of its becoming more virulent.
Treatment is similar to that of seasonal flu. Most people get well by resting, staying hydrated and taking medicines to reduce fever. One should stay home and keep away from others for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone.
Children under 18 years should not be given aspirin due to a risk of Reye's Syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening illness. Children under four should not be given cold medicines without the advice of paediatricians.
A doctor should be consulted if one has trouble of breathing, chest or abdominal pain, dizziness, confusion or persistent vomiting, or if one's flu symptoms worsen after improving. The paediatrician should be consulted if a child has those symptoms, is not drinking enough fluids, or is irritable or sluggish.
Swine flu has an incubation period of up to seven days after a person is infected.
But, one should not worry, as a few effective ways could ward off infection and stop the spread of swine flu.
The tips:
1 - Do not risk it. If one is experiencing influenza like symptoms, one should simply stay home. Since these symptoms mirror regular cold and influenza symptoms, it is better to be careful.
2 - The safer way to cough and sneeze. Here is the deal - one should cough or sneeze into the interior of one's elbow on the arm. This is the only way to keep from spreading germs to one's hands and to everything that an infected person touches.
3 - One should wash hands frequently and thoroughly. Whatever one touches might be infected, so a good guideline is to keep one's hands clean to cut back on the chances of becoming infected.
4 - A little hand sanitizer goes a long, long way. Simply have a tube of hand sanitizer with you at all time. This way you can continually clean your hands.
5 - Be wary of public places. Door handles and even ink pens are breeding grounds for germs. Avoid touching them at all costs.
6 - Be cautious on airplanes, trains and buses. The close quarters of an aeroplane is a place where germs like the swine flu pathogen lurk, so protect yourself.
7 - Wash your vegetables and fruit entirely. Buy your vegetables and vegetables locally if you can. Wash them with water and soak them to extend the effectiveness.
8 - Go to your doctor. If you are experiencing any flu-like symptoms you should see your doctor at once. As stated earlier, only your health practitioner can diagnose your particular strain of the flu.
People however should not panic. The chances of dying of swine flu are just as low as dying of common flu.
The writer, an Erasmus Mundus Scholar, AtoSiM Masters Programme, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, can be reached at: mdmozzammelhaque@yahoo.com