Understanding Swine Flu

What is swine flu, and why is it sweeping across the globe, infecting so many people, and in some cases, causing death?

Swine flu is a really new thing. It comes after the heels of the bird flu which swept across the globe a few years ago, causing panic in many countries. When you hear the term “swine flu” automatically, you think that it is a disease like the mad cow disease where you get sick because of contact with a sick pig.

Actually, you do not get swine flu from eating pork, or being near pigs, unless the pig is infected. Swine flu is transmitted through people who are infected. It is air born and easily picked up with direct contact with infected people.

The regular flu is caused by infections that is spread when the sick person coughs or sneezes into the air, and another person breathes that in. It can also be spread by contaminated hands that touch something which is then touched by another.

So, what about swine flu? How did it spread so fast? It started in Mexico City which then spread to the United States, and then around the world, including Asia and Europe. However, with so many people infected, only a small percentage have died which begs the question - Is it really an epidemic?

In fact, someone even suggested that the swine flu bacteria is man made and triggered by someone’s desire to make money with the medicine formulated to cure it. Is that really possible? Definitely so. This makes our world a strange place to live in when we think that this is possible. Is it all about money? Or is this speculation just rumors?

Whatever the cause, or who caused it is irrelevant as of now because the race is on to stop it from infecting you and your family. Thus, whether man made or a freak of nature, the best way to deal with this is to make sure you don’t get it.

Here are some tips on how to avoid getting infected.
1. If you hear of anyone in your area - neighborhood or work area having flu symptoms, then avoid going to that place. If you need to, wear a face mask, and keep washing your hands.

2. Avoid crowded areas like marketplaces, groceries, malls, and theaters. If you need to go to these places, choose off times when there are less people. Like in the grocery, go when it just opened or about to close. Never go there during the peak hours which is around mid morning and mid afternoon.

3. Don’t wear the same clothes twice without washing them first. Some people like to use their jeans or clothes more than once before washing them. However, if you go to public places, you are vulnerable to catching germs, and these can cling to your clothes so after every use, wash them.

4. Try to keep clean and avoid people with coughs and colds. Keep a tissue handy in case you need to cover your face when someone unexpectedly coughs.

5. If you have children, have them stay away from parks and public playgrounds if there has been a case of swine flu in your area.

Playing safe never hurt anyone, and anyway this is just a temporary situation since swine flu is treatable.

Quote of the Day:
“As cases of swine flu are being confirmed around the world, governments are ramping up their disease control plans to hopefully minimize the effects of this infection. According to the World Health Organization, "Given the widespread presence of the virus...containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures." This means that preventing spread of the virus is not likely, and treating outbreaks will be important in minimizing the numbers of people who might become ill and potentially die.” - Benjamin C. Wedro, MD

Conclusion:
No one wants to discriminate or be discriminated, but at times like this, it is better to be safe than to be sorry.

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