What is swine flu?
Also known as Influenza A (H1N1), swine flu is a respiratory ailment that normally causes illness in pigs. This particular strain of virus has mutated and is now capable of infecting humans and spread from human to human through coughing, sneezing or other contact with the virus.
The symptoms are similar to most flu-like illness and can include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
An infected person may be contagious and spread the virus one day before he feels sick and at least 7 days after developing symptoms. Young children may be contagious for even longer periods of time.
Why is swine flu worrisome?
When a new strain of influenza emerges, health officials worry about how fast and how far it may spread. During a typical flu season, up to 35,000 Americans will die from flu-related illness.
Since this strain of flu is brand new, it is assumed that no one has prior immunity and many more people may get sick. Until a vaccine is developed, health officials worry about the potential of this flu to cause widespread illness. We must work together and educate ourselves to contain the spread.
How can I prevent the spread of swine flu?
Cover your mouth and nose
If you’ve got it, keep it to yourself. To prevent the spread of thousands of viral particles, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. When you cover, you can help keep the virus from infecting others. Don’t forget to throw away your tissue after you have used it.
Wash your hands
After you cover your mouth, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Many viruses spread by contact and can live on door knobs, computer keyboards, ATM touch pads or on your clothes for hours.
Washing your hands often and not touching your eyes, nose or mouth will help prevent you from being infected. Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can also help kill viral particles.
Don’t share food and drinks
Forget about the backwash, each time you share a drink you have invited thousands of germs into your body. Many people are contagious even before they show signs of illness. The next time someone asks you for a sip, tell him to get his own cup.
What about medications?
Two prescription antiviral medications (Tamiflu and Relenza) appear to be effective in treating this strain of flu. These medications may slow the reproduction of this virus in your body, helping you recover more quickly and reducing your contagiousness to others. They are most effective if started within the first two days of symptoms.
Is there anything else I can do?
Update your other vaccines
Serious complications of the flu can occur if a person develops a secondary bacterial infection, such as pneumonia. Now is a good time to make sure you and your children are up to date on your routine vaccines, such as the pneumonia vaccine.
Breastfeed your baby
Nature’s best medicine comes from mom. Every time mom and baby are exposed to germs, a mom’s body begins to make specific antibodies to fight off these germs. Protective proteins are passed from mom to baby through breast milk. On the whole, I tend to see less breastfed babies for sick visits.
Rest, exercise and eat well
If you take good care of your body, your body will take good care of you.
Take a sick day
… if you are feeling sick. Attending school or work when you are feeling ill, will likely infect your friends and co-workers and continue the spread of this disease.
What else?
In addition to carrying an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, consider bringing your own pen to sign credit card receipts. Change your child’s clothes and wash her face after she gets home from school. Say hello to a friend with a smile, instead of a hug or hand shake. Let each member of your family have their own tube of toothpaste. Instead of sharing hand towels that may harbor viral particles, consider using disposable paper towels. Sponges can hide germs, so try running the dishes through the sanitizing cycle on your dishwasher. These small suggestions may help reduce the spread and keep you better protected from swine flu and other germs.
If you feel flu-like symptoms, please contact your doctor for advice. Not everyone will need to be seen by their doctor, most people will recover with old fashion symptomatic care, rest and fluids.
For the latest updates on swine flu, visit www.cdc.gov/swineflu or call 1-888-865-0564. This is not a time to panic, but an opportunity to plan ahead. With preparation and consideration, we can bid adieu to the swine flu.
Dr. Dan Brennan is a board-certified pediatrician and Santa Barbara native. His column can be found in the Daily Sound on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month. Please contact him at 563-6211 or visit www.SBPediatrics.com.