Author: Byron J Richards

Our government is trumpeting how on the ball it is to get its strategic stockpile of Tamiflu out to the public. What they aren’t boasting about is that their supply is about ready to expire. The other thing they aren’t explaining to the public is the risk of delirium and suicide for children taking Tamiflu.

During 2006 our government received at various points in the year 20 million doses of Tamiflu at a cost of 2 billion dollars to prepare for the avian bird flu pandemic that never came. The product has a three year shelf life, though I would wonder a little bit about how good it is that close to expiration.

Regardless, Tamiflu will only work, if it works at all, on the first wave of individuals taking it. After that, the Swine flu will mutate around it. This resistance to Tamiflu or other anti-viral drugs will occur relatively quickly, and long before any vaccine is developed. Our government is very poorly prepared, contrary to their assertions.

It should be pointed out that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added a warning label to Tamiflu back in November of 2006, based on numerous reports of delirium and suicide mostly in children under 17. Side effects occurred within 24-48 hours of taking the drug and included panic attacks, delusions, delirium, convulsions, depression, loss of consciousness, and even suicide.

Back in 2006 the FDA said ““We are concerned that when/if the use of this drug increases in the U.S. … there may be increasing cases of adverse consequence in the U.S.” That time appears to be now.

The revised FDA warning states, “People with the flu, particularly children, may be at an increased risk of self-injury and confusion shortly after taking Tamiflu and should be closely monitored for signs of unusual behavior.”

That is a very weak warning considering that three normal children jumped/fell to their death after taking the drug – one even leaving a suicide note. Other children were struck with psychosis, delusions, and paranoia – all in formerly normal children.
Our government is planning to push widespread Tamiflu use for millions of Americans, including children – and so far I haven’t heard one warning to parents about the actual risks of giving this drug to their children.

About the Author:

What you need to know – Swine Flu Podcast & Articles Byron J. Richards, Founder/Director of Wellness Resources, Inc, is a Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist and a world renowned natural health expert.Tamiflu Causes Delirium and Suicide in Children

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Tamiflu Causes Delirium and Suicide in Children

Author: Nate Gillespie

Sometimes it seems that all is new in the world. New developments in science and technology roll out at a staggering pace, revolutionizing our day-to-day lives and enticing us with the promise of allowing us to boldly go where no man has gone before. (Or, at the very least, enticing us with ridiculously cool CGI effects in the new Star Trek movie.) Sometimes it seems like we’ll soon all be communicating with each other only via Twitter.

But then sometimes it seems like the world isn’t so new at all. This spring, for example, we have suddenly found the global shipping industry held hostage by pirates. Yes, pirates. And here we thought that pirates (at least of the non-Hollywood variety) had gone the way of the dodo about 300 years ago.

More seriously, we suddenly find ourselves threatened by outbreaks of pandemic swine flu. The flu as a major public health danger, not as a mere inconvenience? This takes us back to the bad old days; an influenza outbreak in 1919 killed more people than World War I, and the epidemic diseases that spread in the wake of the Columbian Exchange wiped out as much as 90% of the indigenous population of the Americas. Let’s just hope that the swine flu panic of 2009 doesn’t prove so devastating.

The unexpected (and unwanted) return of piracy and pandemic influenza to become issues of major social concern in 2009 only reminds us, as Faulkner said, that “the past is never dead. In fact, it’s not even past.” The human story is a long one, its plot stretched out even farther than those of http://www.shmoop.com/intro/literature/george-eliot/middlemarch.html”” title=””Middlemarch””>Middlemarch or War and Peace. Long-forgotten characters from its early chapters (pirates!) have an odd way of turning up again at the end. Maybe pirates and pandemics are here to remind us that, Twitter notwithstanding, we all have to bear (in Hamlet’s words) “the whips and scorns of time.”

About the Author:

Shmoop is an online study guide for English Literature, Poems and American history. It’s a perfect aid for students and teachers seeking guidance with advance study, essays and writing papers. Its content is written by Ph.D. and Masters students from top universities, like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and Yale who have also taught at the high school and college levels. It promises to make learning and writing more fun and relevant. Teachers and students should feel confident to cite Shmoop as a source in essays and papers.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Blasts From The Past

Author: aurembs

The year 2009 is bearing witness to what could very well be one of the worst pandemic attacks, the Swine flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already issued a high alert and the situation is said to worsen. As general public, there is nothing much that we can do to contain the virus. That doesn’t mean you can be complacent about the entire incident and carry on with your routine life. You will never know when you will become a victim of this dreaded virus. Don’t you want to protect your loved ones from being infected? Then, it is high time you took care of some of the basic swine flu protection procedures.

If someone you know is affected by this deadly virus, the only way you identify is through its symptoms, which includes chillness, fever, sore throat, severe headache, muscle pains, coughing, weakness, and general discomfort. This virus is highly contagious and spreads seamlessly through air. This means, even the air you breathe can be totally unsafe and might even carry this deadly virus. Just because this disease spreads through air, you can’t stop breathing right? So, in order to keep you safe from this virus contaminated air, Tupelo Super Store has come out with Disposable Particulate Respirators and Go-Kit Flu Protection Pak cases.

The Disposable Particulate Respirators are approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and fall under the Type N95 Particulate Respirator. These Disposable Particulate Respirators comply with the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You must encourage your family to use the Type N95 Particulate Respirator in order to protect them from Swine flu. Another added advantage with this N95 Particulate Respirator is that you can use them for controlling your exposure to Tuberculosis, SARS, and Avian Influenza. This latex-free Disposable Particulate Respirator uses an Exclusive Magic Arch technology that ensures positive facial lock, thus preventing the entry of contaminated air.

Another method of swine flu protection is to wash your hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizers frequently, in order to prevent the entry of germs into your body. Bearing this in mind, Tupelo Super Store is ready to help you out with the Go-Kit Flu Protection Pak. The Go-Kit Flu Protection Pak is the ideal swine flu protection kit you can get your family. You can make the best use of a high-filtration ear-loop mask, a clinical thermometer, and two antiseptic hand wash that come with this Go-Kit Flu Protection Pak.

So, go ahead and protect your loved ones from the deadly virus, with these swine flu protection solutions from Tupelo Super Store.

About the Author:

Tupelo Super Store: Discounted electronics, fitness and sports supplies, GPS, marine equipment, computers, stereos, casino and poker accessories, home audio and video, home theater systems, flat-screen TVs, home security, auto accessories.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Prevention is Way Better than Cure

Author: Ernie Fitzpatrick

So, have we seen thw worst? has the press once again HYPED a story for their benefit (selling advertising and what newspapers are still viable)? Of will this strain go dormant for a few months and come back stronger than ever next winter which was the case in 1916?

Mexico’s health secretary said the swine flu epidemic in his country “is now in its declining phase,” even as the U.S. and five other countries in Europe and Latin America reported new cases Sunday.

Is the “shelf life” of this story over now?

China quarantined more than 70 Mexican travelers and Hong Kong isolated 350 people in a hotel as a precaution even though no new swine flu infections appeared in Asia. In Egypt, authorities’ attempt to kill all pigs as a precaution against the disease prompted pig owners to clash with police who were helping to seize their animals for slaughter.

Now we’re killing PIGS!

Field investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday it appears the new H1N1 virus outbreak may be more widespread and milder in Mexico than it first appeared.

So far the swine flu virus has behaved like seasonal flu as it has spread to 14 countries, carried mostly by travelers from Mexico.

The World Health Organization says it cannot be stopped, but has no immediate plans to declare a pandemic — a global outbreak of a new and serious disease.

Field investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday it appears the new H1N1 virus outbreak may be more widespread and milder in Mexico than it first appeared.

So far the swine flu virus has behaved like seasonal flu as it has spread to 14 countries, carried mostly by travelers from Mexico. The World Health Organization says it cannot be stopped, but has no immediate plans to declare a pandemic — a global outbreak of a new and serious disease.

Everyone is hoping this flu strain will just fizzle out. Influenza is a promiscuous virus, readily swapping genes with other flu viruses in a person’s or animal’s body. It also mutates constantly. These factors mean it can quickly grow worse or become milder. It could at any time lose its ability to transmit easily from one person to another and join the mix of regular seasonal flu strains.

Soon we will know- the short term answer, until next winter.

About the Author:

As a spiritual-futurist, I have a BA degree majoring in history. One cannot know the future without knowing the past which holds clues to what is on the horizon. The world is in such a rapid expansion of knowledge that we are close to entering a tipping point that will forever change earth as we know it.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – H1N1 Fizzle?

Author: Bill Daniel

Dear all:

Fears of a global swine flu pandemic are growing with new infections in the United States, Mexico and now worldwide. Is swine flu ‘the big one’ or a flu that fizzles? All people are asking these questions and get concerned, including you all.

But don’t be afraid, all my colleagues in HandbagVIP.

Remember when 2003 SARS affected, all around the street, all people were warding mask, nobody dared go out, and the whole street are empty. The whole company of HandbagVIP are there at Canton Fair and with the foreign buyers who visit the fair, lower to be only 30% than past years. We were so cared and felt very depressed in the mind at the beginning.

The worse came later. I was isolated then due to fever and all the people around me in the company are scared, including me. I told myself that I was ready for any worst case. When I was in hospital I found some of the people like me died.

But finally SARS is cured and all our life go back to normal. This is due to decisive and effective action of the government. What I learned from this experience is that our social system has got enough experience in curing SARS, and we have experienced it one time so we know all will be ok by the medical treatment. Our business grows 300% after the Canton Fair, since lots of other factories & companies did not attend the show, due to the fear and lots of buyers turned to us as suppliers—some of their original suppliers went bankrupt after that actually.

Now, seems the situation happened again. We get not SARS but swine flu this time, and again HandbagVIP is now in Canton Fair. Let us be cool and calm, we are sure we can go through it. —At the least, according to the report, best thing about swine flu, is we know what virus it is, when in 2003 we did not even knew what SARS is.

Lastly let us remember: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

CEO

Bill Daniel

www.Handbagvip.com

This is an internal email from Bill to all staffs of HandbagVIP April 27, 2009.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Only Fear is Fear Itself— From a Witness of SARS 2003 in China

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. There are many different types of flu, from swine flu to the most feared avian flu. This article, however, deals only with the so-called common or seasonal flu. The flu season usually starts in the fall and subsides in late spring. Because of its seasonality, the flu season differs between the Northern and the Southern hemisphere.

On the global scale, flu can affect tens of millions of people and cause 250,000 to 500,000 deaths each year. The United States CDC gives the following statistics. Yearly 5 to 20% of the population get the flu, 200,000 cases are hospitalized due to severe flu complications and 36,000 cases prove to be fatal. Annual healthcare costs approaches US$10 billion

THE FLU is caused by types A, B and C. Each type consists of different subtypes and substrains with A and B being responsible for most epidemics.

(1) Influenza A viruses are of subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: the hemagglutinin (H) and the neuraminidase (N). The current subtypes of influenza A viruses in humans are A (H1N1) and A (H3N2).

(2) Influenza B viruses do not have subtypes but can be further broken down into different strains.

(3) Influenza C seems to be relatively benign compared to the first two and is not as contagious.

Like many viruses, influenza viruses change with time producing new strains each season. This change occurs by antigenic drift or shift.

(1) Antigenic drift is slow and can lead to new strains after several seasons and is the typical change observed in influenza type B viruses but can also occur in type A.

(2) Antigenic shift happens abruptly and creates a major change that can lead to a new subtype but only occurs in type A.

The influenza viruses attack the epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract starting from the nose, throat, and down to the lungs. They do this by binding using hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins on the cells’ surface.

Influenza symptoms may be mild to severe to life-threatening. Symptoms can include high fever, headache, chills, sore muscles, fatigue, dry cough, red, watery eyes, sore throat and runny or stuffy nose. The so-called “tummy flu” symptoms may also occur in children, which include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The flu symptoms shouldn’t be confused with the ordinary cold, which is another respiratory illness. A cold usually doesn’t cause high fever, muscle pains or stomach symptoms.

The incubation period of the flu can vary from a few days to a week. During this “asymptomatic period”, the infected person is already a carrier of the disease and is therefore highly contagious. The flu can last from a few days to less than two weeks. However, in certain cases, complications can develop which are potentially life-threatening. Some of these complications are bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, and ear infections. Anybody can get the flu but those who are highly susceptible to the flu are young children, the elderly and those with existing chronic health conditions and weakened immune systems.

Flu is very contagious. Direct transmission occurs from person to person via droplets that are released when a person coughs or sneezes. Indirect transmission happens when droplets from an infected person are transferred to inanimate objects, which are then touched by another person.

Flu-like symptoms can also occur with many other diseases. It is therefore sometimes difficult for doctors to diagnose the illness. There are many laboratory tests which can confirm whether a person has the flu or not but they cost money and time and are therefore impractical. However, in times of outbreaks and epidemics, it is important to perform tests. Usually, flu cases are diagnosed based on tests performed in a few individuals within a group. If one or two persons test positive for the flu in a closed environment, then the likelihood of subsequent illnesses within the group as being flu is rather high. Samples for flu testing are usually secretions from the nose and the throat, collected either by sterile swab, nasal wash, or aspiration. There are rapid influenza tests which can give results in 30 minutes. The tests are 70% sensitive in detecting the flu and are prone to false negatives. Another alternative is the more reliable but time consuming viral culture which takes about 3 to 10 days.

Several antiviral pharmacological agents have been approved for the treatment of the flu. Because of the seasonal changes in the types and strains of influenza viruses the recommended anti-flu drugs may change. This season, Tamiflu is the choice for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of persons aged 1 year and older and Relenza is approved for treatment of persons aged 7 years and older. Currently, the CDC discourages the use of previously used anti-flu drugs such as Amantadine and Rimantadine because the current circulating strains of flu viruses are resistant to these drugs.

The ultimate preventive measure against the flu is vaccination. However, again due to the constantly changing nature of the influenza viruses, flu vaccines do not afford 100% and lifetime immunity against the flu. Each season, flu vaccines are updated by adding strains collected and identified from the previous season. Flu vaccines contain different strains of the influenza types A and B but not type C.

Based on the 2005 guidelines of the Federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), annual flu shots are recommended for children aged 6 months to 5 years old and adolescents up to 18 years old. Vaccination is also highly recommended for people in key professions which may expose them to the infection and spread it to others. These include health care professionals and those working and living in closed units such as dormitories. Flu shots are usually given prior to flu season and afford protection for about a year. However, it takes about two weeks before the protection kicks in.

Over the years, several types of flu vaccines have been developed.

(1) The intranasal vaccine is the live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) made from living but weakened flu viruses. LAIV is prescribed for people aged 2 to 49 years old. LAIV should not be given to pregnant women, children under 2 years old, adults above 40 years old, and chronic medical conditions including compromised immune system disorders.

(2) The inactivated vaccine, the common flu shot is made from different strains of killed flu viruses. This vaccine is recommended for children from 6 months to 18 years old as well as those older than 50 years old. In addition, people who are not qualified to receive LAIV (as listed above) are recommended to have this vaccine.

Like all pharmacological agents, flu shots can have some side effects. Most of these side effects are mild. Rare severe side effects, mainly in the form of allergic reactions have been reported.

Some inactivated flu vaccines have contained thimerosal in the past, a form of mercury used as preservatives for vaccines. In recent years, there have been concerns about the link between thimerosal and autism in children. This controversy continues although no ample scientific evidence is available to prove this link.

Perhaps the main shortcoming of the flu shot is its efficacy, which is highly dependent on how well the vaccine is matched to the circulating influenza viruses of that season. For this reason, the efficacy of the vaccine in protecting healthy adults from the flu is only 70 to 90% and even less in children and the elderly.

The Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) was set up in 1952 and currently includes more than 110 laboratories in 83 countries. It has recently set up FluNet, a web-based tool for surveillance, reporting, and alert mechanisms. The European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS) issues a weekly report on influenza activity in 30 countries. It collects data from a network of more than 25,000 sentinel doctors covering a total population of 498 million people in Europe. In the US, the CDC is responsible for national influenza surveillance and is dependent on reports from more than 1500 sentinel doctors.

Google Flu Trends, being the new kid on the block, claims that it can estimate flu activity up “to two weeks faster than traditional flu surveillance systems” and bases its predictions on the number of people searching for flu-related topics. Actually its data compared well with the CDC’s. Google is now working together with the CDC in flu surveillance and their work has been published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature. Google Flu Trends also presents the data in graphs, maps, and animations which are easy to comprehend by the general public.

Don’t forget the CDC’s initiative “Take 3″ Steps To Fight The Flu; take time to get a flu vaccine, take everyday preventive actions and take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them.

And if you are still unlucky and get the flu, stay home from work or school including limiting contact with others, wash your hands often with soap and water and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

About the Author:

The article It’s Flu Season Somewhere – What’s The Scoop may be found in its entirety with references and links on http://HealthWorldNet.com .

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – It’s Flu Season Somewhere – Here’s The Scoop

Author: ken wilson

Preparing a Businesses Pandemic Plan

“Plans are nothing, planning is everything” – Dwight D Eisenhower

Suddenly, the word “pandemic” is everywhere. Businesses are nervously looking for ways to deal with the PANDEMIC. “It is just a matter of time!” warns Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, of the forthcoming global flu pandemic.

The H1N1 Swine flu bears similarities to the H1N1 virus of the 1918-19 pandemic and has spread throughout the US and world. The World Health Organization has raised the warning level to Phase 5 – widespread human infection – one step below a full influenza pandemic, signaling that it’s time for all companies to prepare.

Quoting HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, “Those expecting the federal government to ride in and come to their rescue are going to be sorely disappointed.” “Within 16 weeks of the theoretical Thai outbreak, 92 million Americans would be infected.” The 1918 pandemic killed more people in first 6 months of the pandemic than were killed in all of World War 1 – 5 out of every 100 people.

The CDC estimates that over 200,000 people would die in a moderate pandemic and cost the US economy $100 billion; a worst case scenario would cost the economy about $450 billion with over 1.9 million deaths – 1 person in every 150. The Lowry Institute International Policy estimates a worst case scenario would result in over “140 million deaths world-wide and a $4.4 trillion dollar impact upon the world economy” – plunging the world into a global depression.

How will companies feel the impact?

• High absenteeism for extended periods – sick employees; employees staying home to nurse sick children or spouses; others staying home to avoid getting sick. Plan for up to 50% of your employees being absent -25% sick and 25% staying at home.
• The influenza is expected to last 18 to 24 months and come in three waves – each wave with a different level of severity, lasting for a month or more. Waves can start at anytime of the year – with little advanced notice (days);
• Your suppliers may not be able to support you fully – if at all.
• You may lose customers because you can’t supply them.
• Sales may decrease as demand for your products or services decline.
• Transport systems would be disrupted.
• Lawsuits centered on working conditions (employees getting sick at work, failure to meet OSHA or Sarbanes-Oxley requirements, failure to prepare, failure to fulfill contracts, etc.) may result.

What can companies do to prepare?

Develop a Business Pandemic Preparedness and Recovery Plan based on the CDC’s worst case scenario with trigger points for a mild or moderate event. Use the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pandemic Alert Level as a trigger for your plan. (www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.htmlv).

Disaster Recovery or Business Continuity Plans focus on short term impact to physical assets – plants and equipment – a pandemic flu targets human resources.

An effective Business Pandemic Plan includes:

1. The Formation of a Pandemic Crisis Manager and Teams.

2. Communications Plan -One of the greatest risks is panic – employees, customers and suppliers.

3. Health Education Plan -A comprehensive employee wellness and illness prevention program is vital for minimizing thetransmission within your company.

4. Essential Function/Service Plan -Identify the skeleton operations needed during the pandemic. Develop procedures tosystematically reduce or shut down operations not vital to the core functions. Be sure toaddress your supply chain and key/critical suppliers.

5. Recovery Plan -Guided by your essential services plan, systematically resume operations in reverse orderbased on your capabilities and the needs of your customers.

6. Test your plan.

Test your plan and train company personnel in its use.

This strategy is designed to minimize the disruption to your business and to give you a competitive advantage over those who failed to plan.

About the Author:

Ken Wilson, CMC, has over 23 years of practical consulting experience in business-to-business strategy, marketing and management: helping companies prepare for a pandemic. Find out more about us at http://wmg-mn.com or contact Ken directly by e-mail at ken@wmg-mn.com or phone at 763.476.2216.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Preparing Businesses for the Pandemic

Author: Stacey Beattie

All over the world news rooms are filled with the topic of the outbreak of Swine Flu which countries have it, number of cases in each country and the unfortunate deaths. The UK is by no means any exception to that with 5 cases now confirmed.

Death Toll has stabilised in Mexico where the virus first took hold. Despite a total of 159 deaths it is believed medical treatment does work if medical assistance is gained quickly. The UK is currently awaiting test results to see if there are any more confirmed cases.

So what does this mean for us?

An epidemic infectious disease which can spread through populations is known as a pandemic. Currently the World Health Organisation (WHO) has placed the situation at Level 5 one level away from a full pandemic. Level 5 means there is human to human transmission of the virus across two countries and that governments need to be ready to act immediately for a full scale pandemic. It is said that a pandemic could be disastrous for poor countries that may not be able to stock up on anti virus drugs if the virus spreads across the globe.

So what is Gordon Brown doing?

Gordon Brown has expressed that the UK is among the worlds most prepared countries for such an eventuality. He has said that Britain has been preparing for a scenario like this for years and is taking all the urgent action that is necessary. Leaflets about the outbreak of Swine Flu are to be put through the doors of every single home through out the UK in the next couple of days which will aim to inform people on the precautions and risks of a pandemic of Swine Flu and how to minimise spread.

A call line has been put in place for the public which will provide recorded information 0800 1513513

What should you do?

Swine Flu produces similar symptoms to normal flu such as a fever, cough, aches and fatigue. If you have symptoms and have recently visited Mexico then it is advised you seek medical advice. Face masks are not proven to provide any benefit. Conceal sneezes into a handkerchief or tissue to stop germs spreading and wash your hands regularly. If you are concerned you may have the virus then you are urged to stay at home and contact a doctor initially to try and minimise risk of spreading the disease.

Latest news is brought to you by LuckyDustBingo www.luckydustbingo.co.uk It has all the latest news along with all the information you could possible need regarding the online bingo world.

About the Author:

Business Writer

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The World Is On The Verge Of A Pandemic

Author: Vinay Gupta

Swine flu is a type of virus. It’s named for a virus that infects mainly pigs. It normally does not infect people, but human infections can and do happen. The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. The current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has components of pig and bird influenza viruses in it, so the humans don’t have any immunity to it. That makes it more likely to become a pandemic virus (have the ability to cause a global outbreak) if it can easily spread from person-to-person. There are antiviral medicines you can take to prevent or treat swine flu. This particular virus is resistant to the antiviral medications amantadine (Symmetrel) and rimantadine (Flumadine), but is sensitive to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu.

Symptoms

The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the common flu that occurs in humans. The symptoms are mostly fever, cold, cough, runny nose, body aches, diarrhea, vomiting, headache etc. In swine flu the symptoms might be more severe like breathlessness, very high grade fever, loss of appetite and fluid intake, listlessness etc.

The important fact is to prevent the spread of this infection. Since it spreads through fomites i.e. through air, infected articles like tissue, paper, pen etc, the preventive measures are very important.

Prevent spread

The measures that can be taken to prevent spread of this particular swine flu are –

1 Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

2 Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. You can also use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

3 Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

4 Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

5 Stay home from work or school if you are sick.

6 Consult a doctor immediately when in doubt about your symptoms.

Important thing to remember is that people with swine flu are likely contagious for one day before and up to seven days after they began to get sick with swine flu symptoms. Also, anti-flu medications, including Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir), are available to prevent and treat swine flu.

For more tips on prevention and cure of illnesses, post your queries on http://www.simplyanswer.com

About the Author:

Vinay Gupta is an experienced writer who is writing on Online Doctor Advice,Swine flu symptoms and throat infection for the site simplyanswer.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Swine flu symptoms, causes and prevention tips

Author: Roxanne Gordimer

Due to the rising interests and questions being posted to around the web I thought it might be helpful for some of you out there to gather some information on the facts about the swine flu outbreak.

1. The swine flu influenza transmission use to jump from pig to pig and only in rare cases transmit to humans. The origins of it might be that humans first transmitted the influenza virus to pigs before they developed their own. The influenza season brings a mix of influenza viruses resulting in the increased risk of transmission and infection from pig to humans, causing cross-species transmission. Known swine flu viruses are the H1N1 subtype as well as less popular subtypes like H1N2, H3N1 or H3N2. Therefore a pig can be infected by more than one virus type at the same time.

Infection Risk

Human-to –human infection was once limited to a close group of people, before the Mexico incidents on April 2009. Prior to that swine influenza was transmitted from infected pigs that had direct contact to human, mostly their owners.

Safety Consumption of Pork?

It is indeed still safe eating pork food. So far no documentation is available indicating a link between safely prepared pork food and human swine flu infection. The swine flu influenza virus is killed by cooking temperatures of 70 degrees C or 160 F.

Any Vaccine Protection Against The Swine Flu Virus?

Up to now (End of April 2009) there are no vaccines known protecting human from this influenza virus illness. Usually each year they is an influenza protection vaccine being issued, however it is unclear if this influence protection does work on the swine flu virus. Please, do not take chances visit your health professional in any case of feeling typical symptoms of influenza infection.

Furthermore, it is recorded that previous swine flu infections have successfully been cured without any additional treatment, requiring no medical treatment at all.

The influenza virus is widespread and is a seasonal outbreak. In some cases it has developed resistance towards antiviral medication and therefore reducing the effectiveness of treatment.

So far in Mexico or the United States the health officials have recommended the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for treatment. But again, make an informed decision by visiting your local health centre or professional in case of observed symptoms on yourself or somebody you suspect within your social network.

What Are Typical Symptoms of Swine Flu Infection?

Acute respiratory tract infections of any kind well known throughout the influenza season could be an indication for swine flu infection. Even mild symptoms should be taken seriously, especially by children, aged people, pregnant or any physical weakened individuals like patients or people in some kind of medication program. Please seek your next nearest health information spot be it your doctor or any qualified.

How To Reduce The Risk Of Infection?

Please avoid the direct contact to pigs if possible. Should you be a pig farmer or dealer make sure the pigs you are around on a regular basis are checked by a veterinary and are labelled swine flu free. Clean your hands with soap every time after you were in contact with pigs.

Usually people like pig farmers are the ones who get infected as there are in a regular contact with them. Especially during slaughter is the exposure high. Please avoid sick animals and do not slaughter them on your own, but report them immediately to your local health authorities. This way you may avoid worse. The next best thing to do is to follow local and national news, especially from credible news sources like governmental health departments or respected NGO`s.

Furthermore, avoid people who seem to have catch flu, with fever symptoms or cough frequently.

Eat healthy food and drink 100 % fruits based liquids or just clean water. Avoid uncooked meat, especially pig, cooked as stated above should be ok. Just practice recommended health habits like physical fitness as much as possible. Together you reduce the risk of being infected and when infected you reduce the risk of illness or further deterioration.

Should someone in your family be infected make sure you take that person asap to the next clinic or doctor for advice and treatment. In case it’s not immediately possible keep that person at least 1 meter away from others, best into a separate room. Be there for the person, so he or she doesn’t feel abandoned which can lead to worsening situation.

Improve the airflow in where the infected person is. Use door or window for the breeze.

Keep the area clean from dirt or any open cans, dustbins etc. Do not forget to wash your hands properly each time after contact with the infected person. COVER MOUTH AND NOSE permanently with professional masks from your local authority or pharmacy and the like. They must be clean and unused.

Please note the information above was assembled from various credible sources, especially the World Health Organisation, a United Nations public health arm. However, in no case can it be regarded as sufficient or advisory for any action taken by you in case regarding the topic discussed here. It is for your basic information and education only, you are therefore, solely responsible for any action resulting from reading this. Only your local or national health authorities can advice you how to proper deal with infection and related, make sure you seek only expert advice and not just general basic information gathered from around the web like this one above. Healthy day, your activagers.com team!

About the Author:

Roxanne Gordimer is a travel, health and lifestyle expert working
for companies such as activagers.com and other social networks.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Swine Flu Facts- Everything You Need To Know!