Swine Flu And Bird Flu, What Precautions You Can Take And Which Treatments Are Available
We are today (more and more|more} at risk from various mutations of the flu virus. First we had scares over the bird flu virus, but more recently swine flu has become the major worry. Swine flu is more serious than bird flu was. It was feared that bird flu could mutate into a strain that could effect humans, apart from a few cases, this did not materialize. Swine flu is a greater worry, swine flu has the ability to spread between humans making it a dangerous threat.
Swine flu (influenza A (H1N1) is a disease that effects pigs and is caused by a flu virus. Swine flu outbreaks in pigs is is common and is only rarely fatal. Swine flu has not normally infected humans, although it can occasionally happen.
Swine flu is particularly dangerous as it is a new strain of the flu virus. It is dangerous because no one has been in contact with this particular strain before, therefore no one has built up any immunity to this strain of flu. It is our immunity that stops diseases from becoming life threatening, with no inbuilt immunity to this virus we are in serious danger from the virus. Everyone is vulnerable, including healthy adults and teenagers as well as children and the elderly.
The real concern is what occurs when winter arrives. It is then when the virus may quickly spread causing a flu pandemic with the potential for over half of the population being affected.
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of ordinary flu. These include a sudden,sudden onset of fever, cough, shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include headaches, a sore throat, aching muscles, chills, sneezing, runny nose, loss of appetite and tiredness.
Precautions Anyone with cold or flu symptoms needs to take a few simple, but very important precautions. The flu virus is spread between humans from the small droplets from the nose and mouth when someone sneezes or coughs. This is how viruses are spread from person to person. Holding your nose and mouth with your hands when you sneeze or cough isn’t enough. The virus simply sit on your hands, and everything you touch afterwards becomes contaminated. Anyone then touching the same place as you will pick up the germs and then risks becoming infected themselves. Therefore, always use a handkerchief or tissue. A tissue is far better, this should then be disposed of as soon as possible, try to use a fresh tissue if you sneeze or cough again.
Currently there are no vaccinations that prevent anyone catching the swine flu virus. The swine flu virus is a new type of virus and is not the same as ordinary flu. The annual vaccination against the usual ordinary flu isn’t effective against the swine flu virus. Even when the strain of flu causing swine flu is identified, it will then take many months to manufacture. By which time, it may have mutated into a different strain again.
The only effective precaution against the swine flu virus is Tamiflu. Tamiflu is not guaranteed to prevent flu, but when a person has been exposed to another person who has the flu virus, it can help to stop the virus making a person ill. If Tamiflu is taken within two days of developing flu, Tamiflu can help to stop the virus spreading throughout the body, thereby reducing the symptoms and associated risk. Governments are stockpiling Tamiflu, these supplies will be used to treat key workers and individuals before the general population.
You can buy Tamiflu online, if the situation occurs you can treat yourself and your family. It cannot be emphasized enough, Tamiflu has to be taken as early as possible to be effective, delays in treating the virus will greatly reduce the effectiveness of Tamiflu. If you think you may be at a greater risk due to your situation, such as For example living in a city with a large population or working in a busy open plan office, then it may be prudent to buy Tamiflu before the flu season begins. If you live in the country and don’t have a close contact with many people then you will be at a lower risk.
Also, remember that swine flu is a global problem. If a pandemic outbreak becomes global it is possible that supplies of Tamiflu may not be great enough to meet a huge worldwide demand.
Until a vaccine is discovered and produced in the quantities required, Tamiflu is the most effective treatment for swine flu.
Disclaimer: This post is based on information that is freely available in the press and medical articles related to swine flu. Nothing in this article is meant to be or should be taken to be medical advice. For medical advice you should consult your doctor.