Swine Flu, What Precautions To Take And Which Treatments Are Available
Today we are (more and more|more} at risk from the various strains of the flu virus. initially we had alarms over the bird flu virus, and recently swine flu has become a latest worry. Swine flu is of more concern than bird flu ever was. It was feared that bird flu could mutate into a strain that would effect humans, apart from a few cases, this has not materialized. Swine flu is a greater concern, the swine flu virus is able to pass from human to human making swine flu a dangerous threat.
Swine flu (influenza A (H1N1) is a respiratory disease that infects pigs and is the result of a flu virus. Swine flu outbreaks in pigs is not uncommon but is only rarely fatal. Swine flu doesn’t normally infect humans, but it can happen occasionally.
Swine flu is extremely dangerous as it is a new type of the flu virus. This means that no one has been exposed to this particular strain previously, therefore no one has developed any immunity to this type of flu. It is our inbuilt immunity that prevents diseases from becoming life threatening, with no inbuilt immunity to this strain of the virus we are in serious danger from the virus. Absolutely everyone is vulnerable, including healthy adults as well as young children and the elderly.
The real concern is what occurs when winter arrives. This is the period when the virus may spread quickly causing widespread illness with possibly over half the population being affected.
The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. These can include a sudden,sudden onset of a fever, cough, shortness of breath. Other symptoms that may present themselves include headaches, a sore throat, aching muscles, chills, sneezing, runny nose, appetite loss and tiredness.
Precautions Anyone with cold or flu symptoms needs to take a few simple, but most important precautions. The virus is passed between humans by the droplets from the nose and mouth when someone sneezes or coughs. This is how viruses such as swine flu are spread from person to person. Holding your face with your hands when you cough or sneeze isn’t enough. The virus then live on your hands, and everything you touch afterwards becomes contaminated. Anyone then touching anything you touched will pick up the flu 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 safely as soon as you can, try to use a fresh tissue if you sneeze or cough again.
There are currently no vaccinations to prevent anyone catching swine flu. Swine flu is a new type of virus and isn’t the same as seasonal flu. Therefore the vaccination against the normal ordinary flu is not effective against the swine flu virus. Even when the strain of flu virus causing swine flu is identified, it will take many months to manufacture. By this time, it may well have changed into a different strain.
Currently the only effective treatment against the swine flu virus is Tamiflu. Tamiflu isn’t guaranteed to prevent flu, but when a person has been exposed to another person who has the swine flu virus, it can help prevent the virus making a person ill. If Tamiflu is taken within two days of developing flu, Tamiflu can help stop the virus spreading throughout the body, thereby reducing the symptoms and associated risk. Governments are stockpiling Tamiflu, but these supplies will first be used to treat important workers and individuals before the general population.
You can however buy Tamiflu online, so if the situation arises you can protect yourself and your family. Although it can’t be emphasized enough, Tamiflu needs to be taken as soon as possible to be effective, delays in treating the flu virus will greatly reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu. If you think you may be at a increased risk because of your situation, such as For example living in a busy city with a large population or for example working in a busy office, then it may be wise 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 your risk will be lower.
Also, remember that swine flu is a global problem. If a pandemic outbreak becomes global it is possible that supplies of Tamiflu may not be enough to meet a large worldwide demand.
Until a vaccine is found and produced in the large quantities needed, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for the swine flu virus.
Disclaimer: This posting is based on information freely available in the media and medical articles related to swine flu. Nothing in this article is meant to be or should be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice you are encouraged to consult with your own physician.
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