Swine Flu And The H1n1 Virus

By Author: Caley Van Cleave
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The H1N1 flu has caused a lot of anxiety amongst people worldwide. Some of this anxiety is good if it protects people or causes them to make changes in their lifestyles which will lessen the chance of catching the swine flu. Children, especially children younger than two years old, are most likely to suffer from complications from the flu, so it's important to understand the risks and best ways to prevent catching it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States and the World Health Organization recommend that everyone remain calm because rumors and panic do not help the situation if an outbreak of the flu should strike your area. The most important thing to remember is that while the swine flu can be deadly and spreads fairly easily, most people who contract the swine flu will experience mild symptoms and it will pass.

How to Avoid the Swine Flu

Basically, the same standards apply for avoiding the swine flu as you should use to avoid colds and other types of flu. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, especially in public places. Keep your immune system in top shape at all ...
... times of the year. If you feel ill, stay home and rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat as often as possible. If you run a high fever, go to the doctor; don't wait. Monitor fevers closely and make sure that the sick person gets plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

It is well-known that communicable diseases can spread across the globe through international travel. The H1N1 flu has been reported in more than 170 countries so far in 2009. Protect yourself this flu season by avoiding public transportation if possible and following standard practices to avoid catching the flu.

What to do if you Have Symptoms of the Swine Flu

You must go home and rest as soon as you recognize symptoms of the flu and remain there until 24 hours after the fever has subsided. If you live alone, contact someone who can check on you frequently to make sure your symptoms haven't worsened over time. If you are a single parent who stays home with children who have flu symptoms, make sure you have a trusted friend or relative who can help you if you need it.

The symptoms of the H1N1 flu are similar to other types of flu you may have experienced: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, aches and headaches, chills, fatigue, and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting. Not everyone who gets the flu suffers from all these symptoms but these are the basic ones which would signal that you might have the flu.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that if you or your child suffers from any advanced signs of the flu, go to the doctor immediately. These signs include:

* Trouble breathing, fast breathing, or bluish skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids, resulting in dehydration
* Severe lethargy or inability to wake up
* Confusion or severe irritability
* Dizziness
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Serious vomiting, resulting in loss of fluids and dehydration

It is better to avoid going to the doctor if you have only mild symptoms. The emergency room and doctors' offices are filled with people who are sick, and you could catch something much worse if your symptoms are mild and you visit the doctor.

How Deadly is the Swine Flu?

Many people underestimate the number of deaths from ordinary seasonal flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 250,000 and 500,000 people die worldwide each year because of the flu. These numbers include all strains of the flu contracted in all the nations around the globe. The WHO also estimated that in June of 2009, 27,700 cases of the H1N1 flu had been reported which resulted in 140 deaths. By contrast, in the two years between 1918 and 1920, the Spanish flu killed up to 100 million people, an astonishing number in an era that predates easy global travel.

The reason the H1N1 swine flu virus is more dangerous than other types of flu is that it invades the lower airways of the lungs, not just the upper airways. This can result in severe lung injury and may require hospitalization of patients.

A misconception people often have about the flu vaccine is that one shot will protect against all strains of the flu. This is incorrect; each type of vaccine specifically protects against what medical experts believe will be the dominant strain in a given year. You must ask your health care provider if the vaccine you receive will protect against the H1N1 virus specifically.

Swine Flu and the H1N1 Virus

The H1N1 flu has caused a lot of anxiety amongst people worldwide. Some of this anxiety is good if it protects people or causes them to make changes in their lifestyles which will lessen the chance of catching the swine flu. Children, especially children younger than two years old, are most likely to suffer from complications from the flu, so it's important to understand the risks and best ways to prevent catching it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States and the World Health Organization recommend that everyone remain calm because rumors and panic do not help the situation if an outbreak of the flu should strike your area. The most important thing to remember is that while the swine flu can be deadly and spreads fairly easily, most people who contract the swine flu will experience mild symptoms and it will pass.

How to Avoid the Swine Flu

Basically, the same standards apply for avoiding the swine flu as you should use to avoid colds and other types of flu. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, especially in public places. Keep your immune system in top shape at all times of the year. If you feel ill, stay home and rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat as often as possible. If you run a high fever, go to the doctor; don't wait. Monitor fevers closely and make sure that the sick person gets plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

It is well-known that communicable diseases can spread across the globe through international travel. The H1N1 flu has been reported in more than 170 countries so far in 2009. Protect yourself this flu season by avoiding public transportation if possible and following standard practices to avoid catching the flu.

What to do if you Have Symptoms of the Swine Flu

You must go home and rest as soon as you recognize symptoms of the flu and remain there until 24 hours after the fever has subsided. If you live alone, contact someone who can check on you frequently to make sure your symptoms haven't worsened over time. If you are a single parent who stays home with children who have flu symptoms, make sure you have a trusted friend or relative who can help you if you need it.

The symptoms of the H1N1 flu are similar to other types of flu you may have experienced: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, aches and headaches, chills, fatigue, and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting. Not everyone who gets the flu suffers from all these symptoms but these are the basic ones which would signal that you might have the flu.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that if you or your child suffers from any advanced signs of the flu, go to the doctor immediately. These signs include:

* Trouble breathing, fast breathing, or bluish skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids, resulting in dehydration
* Severe lethargy or inability to wake up
* Confusion or severe irritability
* Dizziness
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Serious vomiting, resulting in loss of fluids and dehydration

It is better to avoid going to the doctor if you have only mild symptoms. The emergency room and doctors' offices are filled with people who are sick, and you could catch something much worse if your symptoms are mild and you visit the doctor.

How Deadly is the Swine Flu?

Many people underestimate the number of deaths from ordinary seasonal flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 250,000 and 500,000 people die worldwide each year because of the flu. These numbers include all strains of the flu contracted in all the nations around the globe. The WHO also estimated that in June of 2009, 27,700 cases of the H1N1 flu had been reported which resulted in 140 deaths. By contrast, in the two years between 1918 and 1920, the Spanish flu killed up to 100 million people, an astonishing number in an era that predates easy global travel.

The reason the H1N1 swine flu virus is more dangerous than other types of flu is that it invades the lower airways of the lungs, not just the upper airways. This can result in severe lung injury and may require hospitalization of patients.

A misconception people often have about the flu vaccine is that one shot will protect against all strains of the flu. This is incorrect; each type of vaccine specifically protects against what medical experts believe will be the dominant strain in a given year. You must ask your health care provider if the vaccine you receive will protect against the H1N1 virus specifically.
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