By Valencia Porter, M.D., M.P.H.
The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, with confirmed cases now in 19 other countries, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a public health emergency by the U.S. government. While it’s easy to stay glued in front of the TV or Internet, keeping track of every aspect of the unfolding events, getting caught up in fear and hysteria clearly isn’t a healthy response. In the face of a legitimate public health concern, here are a few practical guidelines to help you stay calm and protect yourself and your community.
Get the FACTS
The swine flu is an influenza virus that spreads in the same way as other respiratory viruses such as the common cold – through the transmission of infected respiratory particles. Swine flu is spread from one person to another through coughing or sneezing. It is not transmitted by eating pork or pork products.
Usually swine flu only affects pigs; however, when people are in close contact with pigs (such as those working in the swine industry) disease may be spread to humans.
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular seasonal influenza and can easily be remembered by the mnemonic FACTS: Fever, Aches, Cough and Chills, Tired, Sudden Onset. Some people with swine flu also report runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Protect Yourself with Good Hygiene WHO issued the pandemic warning not to create panic, but to make people aware of measures they can take to prevent the spread of the swine flu virus. The more people practice these types of preventive measures, the less impact there will be.
The following good hygiene practices will help reduce transmission of the swine flu virus as well as other airborne illnesses:
Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
When you do cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue and throw it away in the trash after you use it. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as germs are spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If close contact cannot be avoided, transmission can be minimized by using a disposable medical facemask or an N95 respirator.
Some viruses can survive on non-porous surfaces for up to 2 hours, so wipe down high traffic surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, and phones. Use soap and water, anti-viral wipes, or a mild bleach solution.
At this point the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico; however, no other travel advisories have been issued as of this writing.
Enhance your Immunity
Use natural techniques to boost your immune system. This will increase your overall health and well-being, and will help you to fight the disease if you are exposed to it.
Don’t foster feelings of fear and worry by ingesting too much news from the TV and Internet. Fear causes a state of stress in your body that weakens the immune system. Give yourself a break from the media barrage and instead check in periodically to trusted websites such as the CDC, which offers up-to-date information without the sensationalism.
Practice deep abdominal breathing, which brings your physiology back to a state of peace and enhances your immune system. Other practices such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong can also bring you to a state of relaxation.
Continue to nourish yourself with plenty of fluids, nutritious foods, and adequate rest. Vitamins and minerals play key roles in the functioning of the immune system, so make sure to eat a balanced diet.
Certain herbs may also help boost the immune system and may have anti-viral properties. The Ayurvedic rejuvenating herbs, including amalaki, ashwagandha, and guduchi, have traditionally been used to support immune function
Other immune-enhancing herbs that may be helpful include astragalus, pau d’arco, and echinacea. Before you take any supplements, consult with your doctor.
Seek Medical Care Prevention is our major line of defense, but sometimes we still come down with illness. If you do have flu symptoms, stay home from work or school and limit your contact with others. Contact your health care provider as soon as possible as there are anti-viral medications that can make the illness milder and help you feel better faster when taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Homeopathic remedies such as Oscillococcinum may also help to alleviate the symptoms. Rest and drink plenty of fluids. Go to urgent care or the emergency room if you have unusual symptoms such as high fever, difficulty breathing, worsening cough, or persistent vomiting and diarrhea.
(Valencia Porter, M.D, MPH. is board certified in Preventive Medicine, Chopra Center.)
Friday, May 08, 2009
SWINE FLU - Mayo Clinic expert answers your questions
The recent outbreaks of swine flu have a lot of people worried. Should you be one of them? The following interview with James Steckelberg, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic, may help answer some of your questions.
A pandemic sounds pretty scary. Should I be worried?
Clearly, this is a new strain of influenza for which little natural immunity probably exists. Past experience has shown potential for new strains of influenza to spread extensively. On the other hand, there have been situations, such as the swine flu scare in 1976, which turned out to be false alarms. I think people should be concerned about the potential and stay informed.
Can I catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine flu is spread like any other respiratory disease, via droplets from sneezes and coughs. You can breathe in these droplets or become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes or mouth.
If I got the flu shot last fall, am I safe from swine flu?
No. After looking at the components of last year's flu vaccine, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that you can't expect any protection against swine flu from last year's vaccine. It will probably take up to six months to develop a vaccine that will work against the swine flu viruses we're seeing now.
Are there symptoms to watch out for?
Swine flu has the same potential symptoms as seasonal influenza or bird flu — fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. There's really no way to know the specific influenza type except by testing. Your doctor can take a sample from your nose or throat with a cotton swab and send it to your state health department.
Should I receive treatment, just in case?
This variety of swine flu is sensitive to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) but the CDC has recommended that these drugs be used only for people who:
Have confirmed, probable or suspected swine influenza, especially if they are at higher risk of complications
Are household contacts who are at high risk for complications of influenza (such as persons with certain chronic medical conditions, persons 65 or older, children younger than 5 years old, and pregnant women) of a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Are school children at high risk for complications of influenza (children with certain chronic medical conditions) who had close contact (face-to-face) with a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Have recently traveled from or live in an area where cases of swine flu have been confirmed, if they are at high risk of complications
Work in certain health care fields, particularly if they are at high risk of complications
What can I do to protect myself?
Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers may also be helpful. Government health officials will make announcements if further measures — such as closing schools or wearing surgical masks — should be taken.
Might this virus resurface in fall?
That has happened in the past. The 1918 influenza epidemic started with cases in the spring, seemingly disappeared over the summer, and then returned with a vengeance in the fall.
Swine flu: How serious is the global threat?
You're not alone in your confusion about the current swine flu outbreak, which seems to have started in Mexico. Since then, the swine flu strain of influenza has also spread to the United States, Canada and other countries. No one knows whether this particular swine flu will become pandemic — that is, whether it will affect large numbers of people in wide geographic regions.
Swine flu is one of the many type A influenza viruses. It's unusual for humans to catch swine flu, but occasional cases occur, usually in people who have contact with infected pigs. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu virus changes its DNA as it spreads, giving rise to a number of subtypes.
Health officials around the world are concerned about the current swine flu outbreak because:
· It's caused by a new strain of swine flu virus, which means humans haven't had a chance to develop antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine. The new strain is a variant of a recognized swine flu virus — swine influenza virus H1N1. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza.
· It's spreading rapidly in the hardest-hit areas of Mexico.
· The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever.
· In Mexico, the death rate is unusually high among those who develop respiratory distress.
In the United States, the same new strain of H1N1 swine influenza has infected some recent visitors to Mexico and their household contacts. So far, the infection has resulted in relatively mild respiratory illnesses in this group.
Why is there such a big difference in severity? One possibility is that the virus mutated to a less dangerous form around the time it showed up in the United States. Another, more sobering possibility is that the severe illness linked to swine flu in Mexico is the result of viral mutations that haven't yet appeared in other countries — but possibly will in time.
Efforts to understand and contain swine flu are under way on a global scale. Until more definitive information is available, the best response for those outside the most affected areas is to:
· Keep tabs on respiratory symptoms. If you or someone in your family develops symptoms suggesting a cold or the flu, be alert for persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly a high fever.
· Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.
· Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
· Take extra precautionary measures if you travel to or live in an affected area.
· If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or heart disease, it's a good idea to wear a breathing mask when you're out in public in affected areas.
· Be prepared. Ask your health care provider or county health department about infection-control plans in case of a serious swine flu outbreak. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduce the severity of symptoms.
How long can they live outside the body?
The length of time that cold or flu germs can survive outside the body on an environmental surface, such as a doorknob, varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds to 48 hours — depending on the specific virus and the type of surface.
Flu viruses tend to live longer on surfaces than cold viruses do. Also, it's generally believed that cold and flu viruses live longer on nonporous surfaces — such as plastic, metal or wood — than they do on porous surfaces — such as fabrics, skin or paper.
Although cold and flu viruses primarily spread from person-to-person contact, you can also become infected from contact with contaminated surfaces. The best way to avoid becoming infected with a cold or flu is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
A pandemic sounds pretty scary. Should I be worried?
Clearly, this is a new strain of influenza for which little natural immunity probably exists. Past experience has shown potential for new strains of influenza to spread extensively. On the other hand, there have been situations, such as the swine flu scare in 1976, which turned out to be false alarms. I think people should be concerned about the potential and stay informed.
Can I catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine flu is spread like any other respiratory disease, via droplets from sneezes and coughs. You can breathe in these droplets or become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes or mouth.
If I got the flu shot last fall, am I safe from swine flu?
No. After looking at the components of last year's flu vaccine, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that you can't expect any protection against swine flu from last year's vaccine. It will probably take up to six months to develop a vaccine that will work against the swine flu viruses we're seeing now.
Are there symptoms to watch out for?
Swine flu has the same potential symptoms as seasonal influenza or bird flu — fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. There's really no way to know the specific influenza type except by testing. Your doctor can take a sample from your nose or throat with a cotton swab and send it to your state health department.
Should I receive treatment, just in case?
This variety of swine flu is sensitive to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) but the CDC has recommended that these drugs be used only for people who:
Have confirmed, probable or suspected swine influenza, especially if they are at higher risk of complications
Are household contacts who are at high risk for complications of influenza (such as persons with certain chronic medical conditions, persons 65 or older, children younger than 5 years old, and pregnant women) of a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Are school children at high risk for complications of influenza (children with certain chronic medical conditions) who had close contact (face-to-face) with a confirmed, probable or suspected case
Have recently traveled from or live in an area where cases of swine flu have been confirmed, if they are at high risk of complications
Work in certain health care fields, particularly if they are at high risk of complications
What can I do to protect myself?
Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers may also be helpful. Government health officials will make announcements if further measures — such as closing schools or wearing surgical masks — should be taken.
Might this virus resurface in fall?
That has happened in the past. The 1918 influenza epidemic started with cases in the spring, seemingly disappeared over the summer, and then returned with a vengeance in the fall.
Swine flu: How serious is the global threat?
You're not alone in your confusion about the current swine flu outbreak, which seems to have started in Mexico. Since then, the swine flu strain of influenza has also spread to the United States, Canada and other countries. No one knows whether this particular swine flu will become pandemic — that is, whether it will affect large numbers of people in wide geographic regions.
Swine flu is one of the many type A influenza viruses. It's unusual for humans to catch swine flu, but occasional cases occur, usually in people who have contact with infected pigs. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu virus changes its DNA as it spreads, giving rise to a number of subtypes.
Health officials around the world are concerned about the current swine flu outbreak because:
· It's caused by a new strain of swine flu virus, which means humans haven't had a chance to develop antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine. The new strain is a variant of a recognized swine flu virus — swine influenza virus H1N1. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza.
· It's spreading rapidly in the hardest-hit areas of Mexico.
· The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever.
· In Mexico, the death rate is unusually high among those who develop respiratory distress.
In the United States, the same new strain of H1N1 swine influenza has infected some recent visitors to Mexico and their household contacts. So far, the infection has resulted in relatively mild respiratory illnesses in this group.
Why is there such a big difference in severity? One possibility is that the virus mutated to a less dangerous form around the time it showed up in the United States. Another, more sobering possibility is that the severe illness linked to swine flu in Mexico is the result of viral mutations that haven't yet appeared in other countries — but possibly will in time.
Efforts to understand and contain swine flu are under way on a global scale. Until more definitive information is available, the best response for those outside the most affected areas is to:
· Keep tabs on respiratory symptoms. If you or someone in your family develops symptoms suggesting a cold or the flu, be alert for persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly a high fever.
· Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.
· Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
· Take extra precautionary measures if you travel to or live in an affected area.
· If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or heart disease, it's a good idea to wear a breathing mask when you're out in public in affected areas.
· Be prepared. Ask your health care provider or county health department about infection-control plans in case of a serious swine flu outbreak. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduce the severity of symptoms.
How long can they live outside the body?
The length of time that cold or flu germs can survive outside the body on an environmental surface, such as a doorknob, varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds to 48 hours — depending on the specific virus and the type of surface.
Flu viruses tend to live longer on surfaces than cold viruses do. Also, it's generally believed that cold and flu viruses live longer on nonporous surfaces — such as plastic, metal or wood — than they do on porous surfaces — such as fabrics, skin or paper.
Although cold and flu viruses primarily spread from person-to-person contact, you can also become infected from contact with contaminated surfaces. The best way to avoid becoming infected with a cold or flu is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
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