Many people are afraid of contracting swine flu, but there are ways in which you can prevent yourself from becoming one of its victims.
Cases show that the swine flu symptoms are much like the seasonal flu; only this type of influenza is said to be deadlier. There have been casualties in Mexico and one reported death of an infant on U.S. soil. Medical experts are still baffled, as to why the virus seems to be more potent in Mexico, than in any other location in the world.
The CDC has already stated that there’s no effective vaccine against this swine flu virus. Plus, vaccinations can have harmful side effects on our bodies.
The best thing one can do during a pandemic outbreak is to avoid crowded places when possible. The best preventive measure is to avoid places where you’ll be in direct contact of a lot of people.
Unnecessary travel should be avoided as well. The air on a plane may be filtered, but if you’re sitting next to an infected person, you’ll be at a higher risk of getting the swine flu. Once that person sneezes or coughs, transmission of the virus could occur. If you really need to travel on a plane, and are worried about contracting the illness, you can wear a facemask.
In any infected area it is best not to kiss, or even shake someone’s hand. This helps prevent the transmission of any contagious illness, whether it be the swine flu, the bird flu, or even the common cold. It may seem paranoid, but it is one way to protect yourself. Another way of preventing yourself from getting a contagious illness is by not sharing your food, glasses, or silverware (cutlery) with anyone.
If you yourself are infected with the swine flu virus, you can help by taking measures not to spread it around. As much as possible, you might want to stay at home. Don’t go roaming around, spreading the virus. Also, be sure to cover your nose and mouth with tissue when sneezing or coughing. Then throw the tissue away immediately. It’s also general proper practice to wash your hands, with soap and water, after sneezing or coughing. You can use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, if you don’t want to wash your hands. In this case, using pure grain alcohol (such as the strongest alcohol you could get at a liquor store) is healthier than using isopropyl alcohol (such as the rubbing alcohol you would get at a drug store.)
Swine flu symptoms include sudden high fever, headache, cough, aching joints, general fatigue, and nasal congestion. You will also probably experience diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. When you have these symptoms it is best to consult a doctor right away. Unless you’re really seriously ill, don’t go straight to hospital ER or the doctor’s office, as you could spread the virus to others in the area.
