Swine Flu, What Are The Precautions You Can Take And What Treatments Are Available

We are today (more and more|more} at risk from the various mutations of the flu virus. First we had scares over bird flu, and recently swine flu has become a major worry. Swine flu is of more concern than bird flu ever was. It was a worry that bird flu may mutate into a strain that would infect humans, but for a handful of cases, this situation has not materialized. Swine flu is a larger worry, it is able to pass between humans making it a very serious threat.

Swine flu, or to be more correct influenza A (H1N1), is a respiratory disease that infects pigs, it is the result of a flu virus. Outbreaks of swine flu in pigs is is common and is rarely fatal. Swine flu doesn’t normally infect humans, although it can occasionally happen.

Swine flu is very dangerous because it is a new type of virus. The problem is no one has been in contact with this particular strain before, and therefore no one has built up any immunity to this type of flu. It is our immunity that stops diseases from becoming life threatening, with no immunity to swine flu we are at the mercy of the virus. Everyone is vulnerable, this includes healthy adults as well as children and the elderly.

The real concern is what will happen when the winter flu season arrives. This is the period when the virus may quickly spread causing a flu pandemic with the potential for over half of the population being affected.

Swine flu symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. These include a sudden,sudden onset of fever, cough or a shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include headache, sore throat, muscle aches, chills, sneezing, a runny nose, loss of appetite and tiredness.

Precautions Anyone with cold or flu symptoms needs to take a few easy, but most important precautions. The virus is spread between humans by the small droplets from the nose and mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. This is the way viruses such as swine flu are passed from person to person. Covering your face with your hands when you cough or sneeze isn’t enough. The germs then live on your hands, and everything you touch afterwards becomes contaminated. Anyone touching anything you touched will pick up the germs and then risks becoming infected. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or a tissue. A tissue is better, this should be disposed of safely as soon as you can, try to use a fresh tissue if you sneeze or cough again.

Currently there are no vaccinations that prevent anyone catching swine flu. Swine flu is a new strain of virus and isn’t the same as ordinary flu. The vaccination against the normal seasonal flu isn’t effective against the swine flu virus. Even when the type of flu virus causing swine flu is identified, it will then take several months to manufacture. By which time, it may well have mutated into a different strain again.

The only real effective treatment against swine flu is Tamiflu. Tamiflu isn’t guaranteed to prevent flu, but when a person has been exposed to another person who has the flu virus, Tamiflu can help prevent the virus making a person sick. If Tamiflu is taken within two days of contracting the flu virus, Tamiflu can help stop the virus spreading throughout the body, reducing the symptoms and associated risk. Governments are stockpiling Tamiflu, the supplies will be used to treat important workers and individuals before the general population.

You can buy Tamiflu online, so if the situation occurs you can protect yourself and your family. It can’t be emphasized enough, Tamiflu has to be taken as early as possible to be effective, delays in treating the flu virus will greatly reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu. If you are at a increased 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 flu season starts. If you live in the country and do not have close contact with many people then you will be at a lower risk.

Remember that swine flu is a worldwide 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 found and manufactured in the quantities required, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for the swine flu virus.

Disclaimer: This post is based on information freely available in the press and medical articles related to swine flu. Nothing in this posting is meant to be or should be construed to be medical advice. For medical advice you are encouraged to consult with your own physician.